Jane Q Public

My name is Jane Q Public.
I have a huge family known collectively as The Public.
We are a pretty diverse bunch. Old, young, rich and poor and in-between, many shades of brown, more female than male, more older than younger, some healthy, many not, some insured, some uninsured, most underinsured.
And we are a dysfunctional family. Some of us care about our brothers and sisters, some of us don't. Some of us like to share, some of us don't. Some of us work and play well with others, some of us don't.
We see and hear a lot about ourselves in the news these days.
It seems we are sort of confused.
We are totally for . . . no mostly against . . . wait a minute . . . we are undecided about health care. We definitely do . . . we absolutely don't . . . oh, no, hold on . . . we can wait for a public option.
Undecided? I don't think so.
Speaking for myself and most of the other people who share my surname, I'm pretty damn sure I know what I think and what I want. I think it is a travesty that people are suffering and dying every day as a result of lack of access to affordable health care. I think it is outrageous that politicians on both sides of the aisle are engaging in re-election calculus instead of acting on my family's behalf.
Confused? I don't think so.
I know what I want. I want change. I want what we were promised when we voted last year. I want health care reform and I want my family and I to be able to live in a civil and compassionate community.
Uncertain about a public option? Nope.
A public option. Think about it. The public part, that's you and me and everyone you know. The option part, that's well . .. not optional. It's essential. Let the insurance companies compete against a non-profit public option and may the best plan win.
My name is Jane Q Public and I approved this message because lives depend on it.