Sign Harry Reid's petition in support of a public healthcare insurance option

I just received the email below from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. I also signed his petition... you can, too, right here.

After Reid's email is more information on his strategy for passing this legislation. There's also a list of senators who have expressed reservations or opposition to a public option but who can still be persuaded.

Dear Michael,

When I emailed last night, I told you we were working on ideas for mobilizing support for the bill I sent to the Congressional Budget Office yesterday. Well, we did just that and decided that the best way to build support in the Senate is for me to have as many signatures from as many Americans as possible that support health insurance reform with a public option.

This way, when I ask my colleagues to support a bill with a public option, I can tell them that it's not just me asking, it's me AND thousands of Nevadans - AND a majority of our fellow Senators - AND thousands of voters from their home state. To do this, I need you to add your voice to mine right away.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN MY PETITION FOR REFORM WITH A PUBLIC OPTION

If there's one thing I've learned from being the Senate Majority Leader, it's that we need strong grassroots momentum to win the support required to pass big legislation. Change isn't easy. And big change is even more difficult. But we have the chance to deliver real health insurance reform this year, we just have to work together to convince every Senator we can that a vote for this bill is a vote on the right side of history.

Please, sign our petition today and tell your friends and family to add their names as well. Thanks so much for your support.

Together, we'll get this done.

Harry (signed)

Some Democrat senators are wary of supporting a public option, and GOP Senator Olympia Snowe has said she won't support a bill that contains one. Independent Senator Joe Lieberman is also against the public option. Reid's strategy is to first get the bill onto the Senate floor for debate; he needs sixty votes for that. Some senators have stated they will vote yes to allow debate to begin but may not vote yes on actual passage. More here.

The particular senators who need to hear from their constituents who support a public option are:

• Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut)
• Olympia Snowe (R-Maine)
• Evan Bayh (D-Indiana)
• Mary Landrieu (D-Louisiana)
• Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas)
• Mark Pryor (D-Arkansas)
• Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska)

It wouldn't hurt, of course, to contact your senators even if they're not on the above list!