1 Abigail Parma, Ohio 2 Adam Owensboro, Ky. 3 Adam Manlius, N.Y. 4 Aimee Chicago, Ill. 5 Ajaree Woodland Hills, Calif. 6 Alan Slidell, La. 7 Alan Quitman, Ark. 8 Alexander Los Angeles, Calif. 9 Alexis Arcadia, Calif. 10 Alicia Lowell, Mass. 11 Allan Morris, Ill. 12 Allan Atlanta, Ga. 13 Alonzo Pocatello, Idaho 14 Alvin Davie, Fla. 15 Amanda Elk Park, N.C. 16 Amelia Macon, Ga. 17 Ami Rockwall, Tex. 18 Amy Marion, Iowa 19 Ana Earlsboro, Okla. 20 Ana Midwest City, Okla. 21 Andras Bend, Ore. 22 Andrew Martinez, Calif. 23 Andrew Pukalani, Hawaii 24 Angela Rancho Cordova, Calif. 25 Ann Midwest City, Okla. 26 Anthony Covington, Tenn. 27 April Okanogan, Wash. 28 April Austell, Ga. 29 Armando Odessa, Tex. 30 Barbara Columbia, Mo. 31 Barbara North Branch, Minn. 32 Barbara Union City, Ga. 33 Barbara Cortland, N.Y. 34 Barry Hermitage, Pa. 35 Barry Cherry Hill, N.J. 36 Benjamin Sangerville, Me. 37 Bernardo Wesley Chapel, Fla. 38 Berry Miami Gardens, Fla. 39 Betty Heber Springs, Ark. 40 Beverly Frisco, Tex. 41 Beverly New Haven, Conn. 42 Bianca Peachtree City, Ga. 43 Bill Austin, Tex. 44 Bill Concord, Calif. 45 Bonita Cincinnati, Ohio 46 Bonnie Woodland Park, Colo. 47 Boris Maitland, Fla. 48 Brandi Azusa, Calif. 49 Brandon Brooklyn, N.Y. 50 Brian Albuquerque, N.M.

GRAPEVINE,Tex. — The voters arrived from all over the country: nine of them named John, 10 who’d come from mobile homes, four who lived in South Dakota. Twenty-seven considered themselves extremely conservative; 30 said they were extremely liberal. Twenty-one were out of work and looking for it. Two came with service dogs. At least one did not tell her parents she was coming here, because talking politics is so hard at home that she didn’t want to admit she was flying to Texas to talk politics with people she didn’t know. These voters — 526 total, representative of Americans who are registered to vote — were invited to spend a weekend in a resort outside Dallas to prove that there might be a better way to disagree. And, as the furor in Washington was just beginning to build over the possible impeachment of the president, Donald Trump’s name barely came up. As they arrived, and in breaks between their discussions, The New York Times took a portrait of nearly every one of them. Collectively, their faces are a reflection of all American voters.

51 Brian Clifton, Tex. 52 Brian Lexington, Ky. 53 Brian Menomonie, Wis. 54 Brianna Ontario, Calif. 55 Brigid Bonita Springs, Fla. 56 Brittanie Tulsa, Okla. 57 Brittany Oxnard, Calif. 58 Bryan Mendon, Mich. 59 Camille Ithaca, N.Y. 60 Carl Eau Claire, Wis. 61 Carla Manitowoc, Wis. 62 Carla Vinton, Iowa 63 Carol Jacksonville, Fla. 64 Carole Albuquerque, N.M. 65 Catherine Hampton, Va. 66 Cathony Stone Mountain, Ga. 67 Cathy Wylie, Tex. 68 Chanel Long Beach, Calif. 69 Charlene Edmond, Okla. 70 Charles Carlsbad, Calif. 71 Charles Hartford, S.D. 72 Charles Tampa, Fla. 73 Charles Ooltewah, Tenn. 74 Charles New Orleans, La. 75 Cheryl Garfield Heights, Ohio 76 Cheryl Troy, Mo. 77 Cheryl Millsboro, Del. 78 Cheryl Queens, N.Y. 79 Chloe North Charleston, S.C. 80 Chris Manchester, N.H. 81 Christa Minneapolis, Minn. 82 Christina Staten Island, N.Y. 83 Christine Fresno, Calif. 84 Christine Dallas, Tex. 85 Christine Ithaca, N.Y. 86 Christopher Torrance, Calif. 87 Christopher Naperville, Ill. 88 Christy Headland, Ala. 89 Chrystal Brooklyn, N.Y. 90 Cindy Polson, Mont. 91 Cinella Del Valle, Tex. 92 Clarence Dania Beach, Fla. 93 Clarisa Topeka, Kan. 94 Claudia Queens, N.Y. 95 Cody Atlanta, Ga. 96 Corrinna Jonesboro, Ga. 97 Craig Phoenix, Ariz. 98 Craig Thiensville, Wis. 99 Curtis Spokane, Wash. 100 Cynthia Hermitage, Pa.

Put a diverse group of people in a room, the political scientists James Fishkin and Larry Diamond argue, and they’re likely to mute their harshest views and wrestle more deeply with rebuttals. They become more informed, even more empathetic. And in this setting, the political scientists say, pollsters can get a picture of what people believe when they’re not just relying on sound bites and tribal cues. In Texas in late September, Mr. Fishkin and Mr. Diamond were trying this experiment ahead of the 2020 election with a microcosm of American voters, each one selected from a nationwide survey of thousands of households to resemble the country’s demographic diversity. “America in One Room,” the event was called. Participants wore nametags without any indication of partisanship, and in the conversations that resulted, it was often hard to tell which camp to place voters in. A nonpartisan group named Helena raised about $3 million to fly everyone here to a hotel and convention center with cowboy-themed carpets, 10 restaurants and an indoor river walk. The research institution NORC at the University of Chicago conducted in-depth surveys of the group and worked to find the right representation of voters, calling some of them two, three, four times to coax them onto planes or away from home — sometimes for the first time in their lives. Many of the voters were sure at first that the invitation was a scam — an all-expenses-paid trip to a Texas resort to … give their opinions?

101 Cynthia North Port, Fla. 102 Cynthia Topeka, Kan. 103 Dakota Gainesville, Fla. 104 Dana Brunswick, Ga. 105 Daniel Lakewood, Colo. 106 Daniela New Paltz, N.Y. 107 Danielle Louisville, Ky. 108 Darla Spencer, Neb. 109 Dave Fredericksburg, Tex. 110 David Cedar Rapids, Iowa 111 David Murrells Inlet, S.C. 112 David West Bend, Wis. 113 David Amherst, N.H. 114 David Pittsburgh, Pa. 115 David Folsom, Calif. 116 David Chelsea, Mass. 117 David Las Vegas, Nev. 118 David Escondido, Calif. 119 Delia San Antonio, Tex. 120 Della Memphis, Tenn. 121 Deloris Mobile, Ala. 122 Demetric Hammond, La. 123 Denis Mobile, Ala. 124 Denise Jacksonville, Fla. 125 Dennis Wenham, Mass. 126 Desmond Salisbury, N.C. 127 Dharma Lynn, Mass. 128 Diana Fountain, Colo. 129 Diana San Antonio, Tex. 130 Diane El Mirage, Ariz. 131 Diane Atlanta, Ga. 132 Don Arcadia, Calif. 133 Don Prattville, Ala. 134 Donald St. Robert, Mo. 135 Donald Atlanta, Ga. 136 Donna Anaheim, Calif. 137 Donna Indian Land, S.C. 138 Donna St. Augustine, Fla. 139 Donnie Woodland Park, Colo. 140 Dori Homewood, Ill. 141 Dorinda Fremont, Calif. 142 Douglas San Diego, Calif. 143 Duane Columbia, S.C. 144 Ebony Jacksonville, Fla. 145 Eddie Clifton, N.J. 146 Edith Topeka, Kan. 147 Edward Columbia, Mo. 148 Edward Port St. Lucie, Fla. 149 Elaine Schenectady, N.Y. 150 Elaine Colton, Calif.

Over four days, mostly in small groups, they debated foreign policy, health care, immigration, the economy and the environment. They talked through policy proposals in a 55-page briefing booklet that made little mention of whom the proposals came from. Partisan trigger words — Democrats, Republicans, progressives, conservatives — were, by design, largely missing from the text. Often, the language voters used was personal rather than political. “You have to learn to listen to them,” Mr. Fishkin said. “They don’t talk the way policy wonks talk about an issue. They bring their life experience, their observations. But they’re making arguments when they tell a story.”

151 Elana Middletown, N.J. 152 Elisha Granbury, Tex. 153 Elizabeth Lake Oswego, Ore. 154 Elizabeth Sparks, Nev. 155 Elizabeth Cordova, Tenn. 156 Elizabeth Maitland, Fla. 157 Elizabeth Chico, Calif. 158 Ellen St. Louis, Mo. 159 Elsa Harbor City, Calif. 160 Emily Kearns, Utah 161 Emily Murrieta, Calif. 162 Emma Mason City, Iowa 163 Emmanuel Baldwin Park, Calif. 164 Eric Matthews, N.C. 165 Eric Topeka, Kan. 166 Eric Dana Point, Calif. 167 Erick Moreno Valley, Calif. 168 Esther Chicago, Ill. 169 Eugenio Lexington, S.C. 170 Evelyn Bullhead City, Ariz. 171 Frances Westerville, Ohio 172 Frederick Columbia, Mo. 173 Gary Walls, Miss. 174 George West New York, N.J. 175 Gina Lynn, Mass. 176 Glenn Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. 177 Glenna Mission, Tex. 178 Gregory Mattoon, Ill. 179 Hannah Atlanta, Ga. 180 Hannah Lexington, Ky. 181 Hans Bolivia, N.C. 182 Harry Amherst, Mass. 183 Heather Spokane, Wash. 184 Heather Las Vegas, Nev. 185 Heather University City, Mo. 186 Heather Wynantskill, N.Y. 187 Hilary Glastonbury, Conn. 188 Hollis Fellsmere, Fla. 189 Hovhannes Peoria, Ill. 190 Ida Beaumont, Tex. 191 Ingrid East Brunswick, N.J. 192 Ira Brandon, Miss. 193 Jack Lansing, Mich. 194 Jackie Glendale, Ariz. 195 Jackie Nashville, Tenn. 196 Jacob Austin, Tex. 197 Jacob Hickory Hills, Ill. 198 Jacqueline Kingwood, Tex. 199 Jaimyce Cincinnati, Ohio 200 James Erie, Colo.

In one room, the debate among a dozen voters over what to do about the Affordable Care Act moved from one personal testimonial to another: One man’s deductible rose to $3,000 from $500 after the law took effect. Another man’s family premium had gone up to $2,600 a month. Across the table, one woman said her father had been found to have colon cancer right after the law forced him to acquire insurance for the first time in his life. “He would be homeless without it,” she said. “I don’t really know how I feel about it either, but I can tell you from personal experience, it saved one life.” As the room grew more somber, a man across from her said, “But now I can’t argue because of what your dad dealt with.” Everyone broke into laughter.

201 James Milton, Del. 202 James Advance, N.C. 203 James Waverly, Neb. 204 James Lincoln, Neb. 205 James Colorado Springs, Colo. 206 James Altadena, Calif. 207 James St. Joseph, Mich. 208 James Sharon, N.H. 209 James Chicago, Ill. 210 Jamie Long Pine, Neb. 211 Jamie Portland, Ore. 212 JanaBeth Lytle, Tex. 213 Janet Louisburg, N.C. 214 Jarvis Gainesville, Fla. 215 Jasmine Greensboro, N.C. 216 Jason Richmond, Ind. 217 Jay West Palm Beach, Fla. 218 Jayden Brandon, Fla. 219 Jeanette Greenwood, Ind. 220 Jeanette Cerritos, Calif. 221 Jeff Huntsville, Ala. 222 Jeffery Portland, Me. 223 Jeffrey Frisco, Tex. 224 Jennifer Longview, Tex. 225 Jennifer Steilacoom, Wash. 226 Jeremy Waynesville, Mo. 227 Jerry Sunland-Tujunga , Calif. 228 Jerry Salem, Ore. 229 Jerry Novi, Mich. 230 Jessica Bloomfield, Conn. 231 Jessica Macon, Ga. 232 Jim Bob Kopperl, Tex. 233 Joan Roscoe, Ill. 234 Joan Germantown, Ill. 235 Joan Maple Grove, Minn. 236 Jodi Marshalltown, Iowa 237 Joe Middleboro, Mass. 238 John Gramercy, La. 239 John Wilmington, N.C. 240 John Floresville, Tex. 241 John Daphne, Ala. 242 John Altadena, Calif. 243 John Warren, Ind. 244 John Menomonie, Wis. 245 John Los Angeles, Calif. 246 John Vienna, Ga. 247 Johnnie Newnan, Ga. 248 Jolene Wagner, S.D. 249 Jonathan Austin, Tex. 250 Jonathan Coachella, Calif.

In a different room, a middle-aged man sure that steep tariffs on China were necessary went back and forth with a young woman who believed the tariffs were hurting her family’s South Carolina farm. In another room, voters argued about whether Americans would willingly take the jobs that many immigrants do, as a hotel worker whose employee badge identified him as from Mumbai came in to retrieve the coffee cart. Down the hall that same morning, another group kept brooding over immigration long after the session was supposed to end. London Robinson, a 53-year-old from Chicago, wanted to share one last thing she’d recently seen on her Facebook page, a story of immigrants transported to the United States inside of mattresses. “When I saw these people cut the mattress, and you see the wire, and you see these are two living individuals in a mattress that was shipped from wherever it was to this country — I’m like, ‘Oh my God,’” said Ms. Robinson, who is African-American. What she saw inside were black bodies, covered in tufts of mattress filling. “There has to be a better way,” she said. “I can see myself being transported in a mattress.” Hers were the final words on the topic.

251 Jonathan Dryden, N.Y. 252 Jonathan Chicopee, Mass. 253 Jordan Spokane, Wash. 254 Jorge Miami, Fla. 255 Jose Baton Rouge, La. 256 Josefina Hawthorne, Calif. 257 Joselito Las Vegas, Nev. 258 Joseph Plano, Tex. 259 Joseph Jeffersonville, Ind. 260 Joshua State College, Pa. 261 Joshua Loretto, Tenn. 262 Joy Keyser, W.Va. 263 Joyce Torrance, Calif. 264 Judith Middletown, Pa. 265 Judy Austin, Tex. 266 Justin Amherst, N.H. 267 Kailan Augusta, Ga. 268 Karen Union, Mo. 269 Karen Clovis, Calif. 270 Karen Tucson, Ariz. 271 Karen Champion, Mich. 272 Karen Port Huron, Mich. 273 Kari Oklahoma City, Okla. 274 Kasondra Jackson, Miss. 275 Kathleen Kennewick, Wash. 276 Kathryn Naperville, Ill. 277 Katie Fayetteville, N.C. 278 Kaye Conger, Minn. 279 Keagan Providence, R.I. 280 Keith Detroit, Mich. 281 Keith Denver, Colo. 282 Kellogg Mequon, Wis. 283 Kelly San Diego, Calif. 284 Kenneth Hagerstown, Ind. 285 Kenneth Key West, Fla. 286 Kevin Bend, Ore. 287 Kevin New Hyde Park, N.Y. 288 Kevin Berkeley, Calif. 289 Kevin Philadelphia, Pa. 290 Keyshuna Sioux Falls, S.D. 291 Kimberly Hamilton, Ohio 292 Kiranjit Rocklin, Calif. 293 Kristen New York, N.Y. 294 Kunal Seattle, Wash. 295 Kurt West Plains, Mo. 296 LaChone Charlotte, N.C. 297 Larriette Charlotte, N.C. 298 Larry Los Molinos, Calif. 299 Larry Oakdale, Calif. 300 Laura Gresham, Ore.

Asked if these conversations had changed their minds at all, most people gave the same answer. “No,” said Jack Jordan, a 63-year-old conservative from Lansing, Mich. “No,” said Daniela Regier, a 42-year-old liberal from New Paltz, N.Y. The two had just spent the previous session disagreeing about the wall (Mr. Jordan supports barriers that he points out Congress has talked about building since 2006; Ms. Regier believes a wall will create environmental problems and waste money.) But they could not help themselves from good-naturedly continuing to try to convince each other, even as they agreed that their opinions held firm. “I did not change my mind about anything,” James Mowrey, a 33-year-old microbiologist from Lincoln, Neb., said during the first full day of discussion. But he thought he understood better why some people feel a moral obligation to resettle refugees.

301 Laura Owls Head, N.Y. 302 Laura New Orleans, La. 303 Laura Radcliff, Ky. 304 Lauren Jacksonville, Fla. 305 Laurie Long Beach, Ind. 306 Lee Bloomer, Wis. 307 Lennox Lexington, N.C. 308 LeSandra Atlanta, Ga. 309 Leslie Wolf Point, Mont. 310 Liana Valrico, Fla. 311 Linda Monroe, N.Y. 312 Linda Cheney, Wash. 313 Linda Torrance, Calif. 314 Linda Goodlettsville, Tenn. 315 Lindy Clearwater, Minn. 316 Lisa Farmingdale, N.Y. 317 Lloyd Slidell, La. 318 Logan Plymouth, Minn. 319 London Chicago, Ill. 320 Lonnie Flossmoor, Ill. 321 Lora West Plains, Mo. 322 Lorenzo Pasadena, Calif. 323 Lori Cornelius, N.C. 324 Louis Queens, N.Y. 325 Louis St. Louis, Mo. 326 Lowell Seattle, Wash. 327 Lucille Albuquerque, N.M. 328 Lynn Kingston, N.Y. 329 M. Patricia Westchester, Ill. 330 Mango Sacramento, Calif. 331 Margaret Sewell, N.J. 332 Margaret New Orleans, La. 333 Maria American Falls, Idaho 334 Maria South Hill, Va. 335 Marianne Baton Rouge, La. 336 Marilee Harriman, Tenn. 337 Marilyn Mariposa, Calif. 338 Marion Austin, Tex. 339 Mark Maple Valley, Wash. 340 Mark Oroville, Calif. 341 Mark Middleboro, Mass. 342 Mark Western Springs, Ill. 343 Mark Somerville, Mass. 344 Mark Morgan Hill, Calif. 345 Mark Milwaukee, Wis. 346 Mark Dana Point, Calif. 347 Markus Ontario, Ore. 348 Martha Brooklyn, N.Y. 349 Martha Long Beach, Ind. 350 Mary Duncanville, Tex.

“I’m sorry, I’m too pigheaded; they didn’t convince me,” said Susan Bosco, a 76-year-old from Democratic-leaning Northern Virginia, who said that in her daily life she rarely encountered people as conservative as those she had met here. “I don’t think the purpose of this conference was to change people’s minds. I think the purpose of this conference was to get people to accept each other’s points of view in a civil manner.” “I may not have changed my position,” said Bonnie Sumner, 74, from Woodland Park, Colo. “But I’ve changed my understanding of the woman in the group who said, ‘You know what, I had great health care, it worked for me, and the Affordable Care Act changed things, and I’m worse off now.’ I didn’t change my position that I think we should take the A.C.A. and tweak it. But I’ve changed my understanding that there are people who’ve tried their best and done nothing wrong, and it put them in a worse situation.” “But you already knew that,” chided her husband, whom she had brought along for the weekend. “But to me,” Ms. Sumner said, “a perfectly rational person who has no political agenda just said to me, ‘Oh, you know what, this was bad for me.’”

351 Mary Okmulgee, Okla. 352 Mary Bay Minette, Ala. 353 Mary Marquette, Mich. 354 Mary Colorado Springs, Colo. 355 Mary Grand Chute, Wis. 356 Mary Indianapolis, Ind. 357 Matt Nampa, Idaho 358 Matt Washington, D.C. 359 Matthew Plymouth, Wis. 360 Matthew San Antonio, Tex. 361 Maxwell Winona, Minn. 362 Meghan Cambridge, Ill. 363 Melanie Oroville, Calif. 364 Melina Las Vegas, Nev. 365 Melinda Crawfordsville, Ind. 366 Melvia Fort Worth, Tex. 367 Michael St. Louis, Mo. 368 Michael Austin, Tex. 369 Michael West Columbia, S.C. 370 Michael Clio, Mich. 371 Michael Lawrenceville, Ga. 372 Michael Port St. Lucie, Fla. 373 Michael Silver Spring, Md. 374 Michael Macon, Ga. 375 Michelle Denver, Colo. 376 Mike Greer, S.C. 377 Nadia Long Beach, Calif. 378 Nancy Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 379 Nancy Petaluma, Calif. 380 Nancy Chico, Calif. 381 Nancy Cathedral City, Calif. 382 Natalie New Orleans, La. 383 Nathan Buffalo, N.Y. 384 Nathan Fresno, Calif. 385 Nicole Monticello, Iowa 386 Nicole Indianapolis, Ind. 387 Noah North Chesterfield, Va. 388 Noah Lincoln, Neb. 389 Noreen Newark, Del. 390 Nour Eddine Chicago, Ill. 391 Pamala Denver, Colo. 392 Pamela Atlanta, Ga. 393 Pamela Manitowoc, Wis. 394 Patricia Means, Ky. 395 Patricia Euclid, Ohio 396 Patricia Fort Smith, Ark. 397 Patty Gregory, S.D. 398 Paul Macedonia, Ohio 399 Paul Franklin, Tenn. 400 Paul Rockford, Ill.

In fact, some people did change their minds. Public opinion in general is fluid, shifting as issues become more prominent in the news, or as partisan cues become clearer. But the voters here appeared to shift as a group in some ways that can’t be explained by typical polling movement over time. NORC surveyed the group before the conference, and again on the same questions at the end; the results were compared with a similar panel of voters who did not get an intense dose of deliberative democracy in the interim. Voters at the event on both the left and the right appeared to edge toward the center. Democratic support receded for a $15 federal minimum wage and for “Medicare for all”; Republican support grew for rejoining the Paris climate agreement and for protecting from deportation immigrants brought to the United States as children.

401 Peggy Colorado Springs, Colo. 402 Peter Lakeville, Minn. 403 Peter Chicago, Ill. 404 Philip Crossville, Tenn. 405 Randi Escondido, Calif. 406 Randy Littleton, Colo. 407 Raymond Sterling, Colo. 408 Reba Vallejo, Calif. 409 Rebecca Guthrie, Okla. 410 Reginold Escondido, Calif. 411 Renetta Chicago, Ill. 412 Rhonda Albuquerque, N.M. 413 Richard Pensacola, Fla. 414 Rikeya Tulsa, Okla. 415 Rita Lawrenceville, Ga. 416 Robert Bluff City, Tenn. 417 Robert Oswego, Ill. 418 Robert Brooklyn, N.Y. 419 Robert Cranford, N.J. 420 Robert Murrells Inlet, S.C. 421 Robert Lewes, Del. 422 Rochelle Portland, Ore. 423 Rodney Phelan, Calif. 424 Roger Welty, Okla. 425 Roger Bellingham, Wash. 426 Rohit Richmond, Tex. 427 Rolland Big Spring, Tex. 428 Ronald Simi Valley, Calif. 429 Ronald Pooler, Ga. 430 Ronnie Redlands, Calif. 431 Rosa Catonsville, Md. 432 Rosamaria San Antonio, Tex. 433 Rosemarie Lebanon, Pa. 434 Ruben San Diego, Calif. 435 Ruth Eureka Springs, Ark. 436 Sally San Francisco, Calif. 437 Sam Port St. Lucie, Fla. 438 Sami Lincoln, Neb. 439 Samir College Station, Tex. 440 Sandi Harrison, Mich. 441 Sandra Parrish, Fla. 442 Sandra Cincinnati, Ohio 443 Sanjay North Port, Fla. 444 Sarah Parkville, Mo. 445 Sarah Sunnyvale, Calif. 446 Sarah Three Rivers, Mich. 447 Schanika Belleville, Ill. 448 Scott East Northport, N.Y. 449 Sean Charlotte, N.C. 450 Shae Grand Rapids, Mich.

These answers, Mr. Fishkin argues, better approximate public opinion in a society where voters are informed. And from inside this carefully constructed model of democracy in Texas, the share of participants who said they thought American democracy worked well doubled, to 60 percent. Many participants described their surprise at finding common ground with one another — a prospect easier to attain when the questions are about increasing economic security or lowering health care bills, and not impeaching the president.

451 Sharon St. Johnsbury, Vt. 452 Sharon San Clemente, Calif. 453 Sharon St. Johnsbury, Vt. 454 Shawn Berkeley, Ill. 455 Sheng Yang Berkeley, Calif. 456 Sheri Jacksonville, Fla. 457 Sherrie Casper, Wyo. 458 Sherry Farmington, Mo. 459 Stacey Hummelstown, Pa. 460 Stacey Jensen Beach, Fla. 461 Stanley Lincoln, Mass. 462 Stephanie New York, N.Y. 463 Stephanie Fresno, Calif. 464 Stephanie Edinburg, Tex. 465 Steve Albert Lea, Minn. 466 Steven Harriman, Tenn. 467 Steven Tool, Tex. 468 Susan Bolivia, N.C. 469 Susan Chicago, Ill. 470 Susan Santa Cruz, Calif. 471 Susan Richmond, Ky. 472 Susan Fairfax, Va. 473 Symphony Virginia Beach, Va. 474 T Jaalin Seffner, Fla. 475 Tamuka Oviedo, Fla. 476 Tara Redmond, Ore. 477 Taren Downingtown, Pa. 478 Taylor Texarkana, Ark. 479 Teresa Westfield, Mass. 480 Terrance Sorrento, La. 481 Terrell Costa Mesa, Calif. 482 Theresa Tigard, Ore. 483 Thomas Cheektowaga, N.Y. 484 Thomas Bentleyville, Pa. 485 Thomas Pensacola, Fla. 486 Thomas Holden, Mass. 487 Thomas New Brunswick, N.J. 488 Tiffany Medford, Ore. 489 Tiffany Cordele, Ga. 490 Tim Reidsville, N.C. 491 Tina Bend, Ore. 492 Toni Marquette, Mich. 493 Toni Wilmington, N.C. 494 Travis Fresno, Calif. 495 Trevon Windsor, N.C. 496 Trisha Sheboygan, Wis. 497 Twila Pace, Fla. 498 Tyrus Houston, Tex. 499 Tyshaun Lansing, Mich. 500 Vamsi Queens, N.Y. 501 Vasantha San Jose, Calif. 502 Veronica Los Angeles, Calif. 503 Victor Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 504 Vikram Bound Brook, N.J. 505 Virginia Monument, Colo. 506 Wallace St. Paul, Minn. 507 Wave Parkville, Md. 508 Wayne New Orleans, La. 509 Wells Rio Vista, Tex. 510 Wendy Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. 511 Wilbert Brunswick, Ohio 512 Will Rockbridge, Ohio 513 William Walnut, Calif. 514 William Las Vegas, Nev. 515 William Wilmington, N.C. 516 William Los Angeles, Calif. 517 Zachary Fairmont, W.Va. 518 Zahid Mooresville, N.C. 519 Zahra Philadelphia, Pa.

In principle, there is something hopeful in these findings. But an essential part of what happened here will be harder to replicate than the structured discussions. Over several meals, a 24-year-old African-American man, a cashier from Michigan, became close to three 70-something white men in his group. At the bar one night, a 69-year-old retired nurse from Atlanta bought a drink for a woman she’d just met from San Antonio, who was turning 35 that day.

Everywhere there were unlikely pairings of people, just talking, with no moderators. And then Mr. Mowrey, the microbiologist from Nebraska, walked away from dinner on the last night to say that the people around him had, in the end, changed his thinking about something. He considered himself a free-market guy, someone who believed government should stay out of health care. He now thought that a public option would be a good idea, no small leap on the spectrum of health care positions. The government could create more competition in the market, his group helped convince him. “They explained it to me in the way I think,” he said. And he seemed pleased to have changed his mind.

Everyone on one map