Even as the nation struggles with a debate on health care, the talk in Bloomington seems more civil to the city's mayor. Democrats like Congressman Baron Hill (D-9th) have held town hall-style meetings and Republicans like State Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Elkhart) have come to town decrying a change in national health care policy, but through it all, Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan said, the debate in the city hasn't strayed as far from the facts as it seems to have nationally.
"I think in town we are having an educated debate and generally it's been people who have been involved with the issue for quite some time," Kruzan said. "I don't see locally the degeneration of discussion that I've seen at the national level."
Still, the mayor admits he needs to hear more debate before even he completely makes up his mind on whether or how to change the dispensing of care.
"Locally everything I hear are fair questions," the mayor said. "What I've heard for years -- when I was in the legislature -- was support of single-payer. I have my doubts about a government takeover."
Speaking on WFIU's "Ask the Mayor," Kruzan said one request he'd make of many debaters is that they read the legislation currently up for debate in Congress before making their voices heard.