Really, Mr. President? No Public Option?

Even though our President was portrayed by Republicans as being an unhinged liberal who was going to destroy the fabric of our capitalist society, Barack Obama is nothing of the sort. Much like the equally much-maligned Bill Clinton, he's accused of being a crazy leftist, and yet most of his policies fit neatly into the center of the American political spectrum.

Now, coming up on eight months since his inauguration, the man who was elected in part because of his ability to work with both sides of the aisle is now doing so and shocking many progressives and not impressing any conservatives.

In the last couple days, the White House has apparently been signaling its apparent willingness to drop the public option out of any proposed health care reform bill.

No, thank you.

WITH the public option included in the package, this can barely be considered a reform bill. The public option is the only aspect of this bill that will have any potential positive impact on the millions of un- or under-insured Americans. Without it, the bill seems like little more than a bailout for insurance companies.

If Obama signs a bill that does not include a public option, he is going to be disappointing a vast majority of the people who actually voted him into office, and he will not be winning the support of any Republicans.

Listening to the GOP resulted in a watered-down and less effective stimulus package that none of them voted for, which the GOP then attacked for being less effective than the President said.

Why would listening to the Republicans now seem like a good idea? Giving them what they want will result in a less effective program, and none of them are going to vote for it anyway.

It's time to move on without the conservatives.

I urge you to contact President Obama and your representatives to tell them NOT to support ANY bill that does not have a public option. In spite of the Grand Old Obstructionists and their stubborn conservative pals, let's have some genuine reform here.