Anywhere from 50 to 60 percent of Americans being polled say they want a public option as part of health care reform currently being considered in Congress.

Contrasting this, almost all Republicans are on the record as wanting to kill not only any public option, but in fact, any health care reform bill.

Without a public option there is no competition in the health insurance industry. Without competition the public loses and Congress has wasted everyone’s time.

The GOP has a huge problem and there is a good reason why Republicans are so determined to defeat President Barack Obama’s health care plan.

They know that tens of millions of people will benefit from the new health care coverage and will therefore become supporters of the Democratic Party for decades to come.

This has happened with Social Security, Medicare and civil-rights legislation. Democrats proposed these programs and have received the political benefits many times over.

Passage of health care coverage for all Americans will be the GOP’s Waterloo.

Ron Lowe, Nevada City