This weekend, North Carolina Democrats became the latest in a series to endorse a public health insurance option:

Be it Further resolved, that the State Executive Committee of the North Carolina Democratic Party directs Party Chairman David Young to instruct Senator Kay Hagan, Representatives G.K. Butterfield NC-1, Bob Etheridge NC-2, David Price NC-4, Mike McIntyre NC-7, Larry Kissell NC-8, Heath Shuler NC-11, Mel Watt NC-12, and Brad Miller NC-13 that the North Carolina Democratic Party and its members – in the absence of Single-Payer as a choice — strongly support a robust Public Option as an alternative and expect their Congressional Representatives to make a robust Public Option mandatory; and

Be it Further resolved, that Chairman David Young conveys to Senator Hagan and our Democratic Congressional House Representatives that a bill without at least a Public Option is not acceptable to the Democratic Party of North Carolina and its members and urges our Congressional delegation to vote against any health care reform bill that does not contain a robust Public Option.

I think their message to Senator Hagan and their House delegation is clear.

A few weeks ago, a coalition of Montana Democratic elected officials passed a similar resolution and pushed Senator Max Baucus to represent their views:

U.S. Senator Max Baucus has finally broken his silence regarding his personal position on including a public option in health care reform legislation. Last Monday night (8/17), in an unprecedented conference call to Montana Democratic central committee chairs, the powerful leader of the Senate Finance Committee told his strongest supporters that he supported a public option.

While discussing the obstacles to getting a public option through the Senate, he assured his forty listeners, "I want a public option too!"

…

In the aftermath of the teleconference, a coalition of eighteen Montana counties in the Senator’s home state decided to move forward with their plan to issue a Unified Statement accompanied by a joint press release. The statement sends a loud and clear message to their Senator: Any health care reform package coming out of his Senate Finance Committee must contain, at a minimum, a provision for a strong public option.

…

Calling themselves the Coalition of the United Montana Democratic Central Committees, the group’s statement announces it has "established a position in support of a strong public option as an essential element in health care reform."

These resolutions are popping up all over the country, in blue states like California and in more traditionally "moderate" states like Montana, North Carolina, and Colorado.

The message is clear, and will only become clearer as more of these resolutions are passed. (Instructions on passing them are here.)

77% of the American people want a public health insurance option. Elected officials in states all over the country are standing up and declaring their support. This is grassroots support the Senate can and should act on.

The Senate has to ignore the insider politics that say a public health insurance option isn’t possible. The country wants this and needs this, and the overwhelming majority of the people are saying so over and over. The majority in the Senate should reflect the majority in the country.

Senators, do what the people want!

(also posted at the NOW! blog)

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