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I would like to state that I am a supporter of the President, and stand in support of a public option for health care reform. As someone who spent hours campaigning for the Obama campaign, I must object to the possible dropping of a public option for regional co-operatives which do not seem a viable solution to our health care problems. Indeed, the public option is already a compromise from the single-payer plan that many progressives support.

Abandoning a public option would not likely get any Republican votes on Capitol Hill and will cause many Democrats in Congress not to support a co-op plan. Furthermore, many of the President's supporters feel that abandoning the public option for a co-op plan, a plan that many health care experts state will not offer enough competition nor solve the underlying problems with our system, is wrong. Many will consider it a betrayal. If the President does not support a public option, I doubt that I will campaign for him as vigorously as I did in 2008 or at all. Several of my friends said that they would either leave the Democratic Party or consider leaving the party. I understand their feelings, and find it hard to think that I will be doing as much in 2010 and 2012 as I did last year.

I believe that President Obama and the Congressional leadership, no matter how well intentioned, have made a critical strategic mistake on health care reform. They should have pushed for a single payer plan, and presented the public option as the compromise. Instead, the Democratic leadership and the President made the public option the initial plan and the Republican party and some very conservative Democrats are trying to drag the goal posts further away to make the public option seem like a radical notion. At the same time, too many of the opponents of health care reform are pandering to fear, hate, and bigotry. I have been utterly disgusted with some of the remarks directed at the President, and feel embarrassed for my country.

For the present, I consider myself a supporter of the President and have hopes for his success in pushing through a public option. I want President Obama to succeed and keep his promises. I am prepared to work hard to make this happen, both in health care and other issues. So I ask the President to strongly support the public option and remember that we, the people who campaigned for him, are willing to stand with him if he is willing to stand with us. We can win the battle for health care reform and pass a public option -- if we work together to reach out to hearts and minds, both on Capitol Hill and in the homes of our fellow Americans.

Dear President Obama,

I am one of your strongest supporters. During the past election, I donated near the maximum during both the Primaries and the General Election to support your campaign. (This was a significant percentage of my yearly income and something I have never done before. I’m sure there were a lot of folks like me who gained newfound inspiration in you and found themselves investing in this hope.)

I truly believe that humanity took a major step forward with your election. You became the embodiment of the People’s will. The will the make real change and progress.

But now, even though you have the support of the majority of Americans, majorities in both houses of Congress, and yourself signing the final bill; I am hearing that you are going to allow the very vocal minority and the very wealthy insurance industry to force exclusion of a Public Option from HealthCare Reform. I hope this talk is nothing but a ploy by your opponents to force your hand. I do know how they like to manipulate words to fit their own ends, but Secretary Sebelius gave them a lot to work with today.

Please stand up to them for us. Please stick by your pledge to only sign a bill with the Public Option present.

If you are unable to keep this promise, it is going to hit a lot of your strongest supporters very hard. So hard, in fact, that they may find that inspiration which blossomed in the election fading. This will deal a heavy blow to your ability to move your agenda forward for the rest of your Administration.

I beg of you, please show your opponents that the Health of the American People is one thing that you are just not willing to compromise on. A person is not healed in a bipartisan process, their doctor just provides them with everything necessary for recovery. Sometimes, and this is one of them, you just need to say to the opposition, “We respect your opinions, but we are moving forward on this with or without you, for the benefit of the American People.”

Use the Reconciliation process if you must. But don’t let the enemies of change claim this victory from us. We have worked too hard and waited too long for that.