Something critical happened last week and nobody noticed.

By now you've read that last week both the plaintiffs and the Department of Justice filed petitions for certiorari, asking for an ultimate review by the Supreme Court of HHS v. Florida. That means they are almost ready to hear the case, with the review happening as early as January or February 2012, followed by a decision probably by June.

What you haven't read is that this means the Health Care Freedom Ballot Initiative — " Issue 3" — in Ohio is no longer just about Ohio. Rather, this ballot initiative now has national significance.

This is going to become the last expression of popular will on ObamaCare that the Justices will see.

And like it or not, what they see will influence their decision.

If we win this initiative, the public's resounding opposition to ObamaCare will be foursquare in front of them as they consider not only the constitutionality of ObamaCare, but severability — whether if one part of it is wrong they should let any of it stand.

But if we lose — and understand that because Issue 2 is also on the ballot, and is about unions, and Big Labor will be turning out everyone they think will be a strong union supporter, including many of the same folks that like the idea of government-run health care — then that loss will make it seem that perhaps the public is getting used to ObamaCare, and that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act should be allowed to stand whether in whole or in part.

We must win this, and we need your help to do so.

Can you help us ensure that we win in November in Ohio? Can you stand with us today with a contribution of $20, $50, $100, $250 or more (bless you!) if you can so we can make our voices heard loud and clear in Ohio?

On November 8, we must send a message to Washington. We must show the world where we stand on the burdensome mandates of ObamaCare.

The Ohio Health Care Amendment preserves the freedom of Ohio citizens to choose their health care and health insurance. It makes clear that no government has the right to force free people to buy a government-approved health care package from a government-approved big insurance company.

If we win this initiative, our voices will be heard not just in the Capitol building, but in a building right next door: The Supreme Court of the United States.

It would be nice to pretend that our Supreme Court justices are immune to political events and that public opinion doesn't sway their feelings about adherence to the Constitution. But that would be unrealistic. The Supreme Court is always more hesitant to strike down a popular law.

The Supreme Court needs to know that ObamaCare isn't just unconstitutional, it is also deeply opposed by the American people.

In a statement this week, the Department of Justice said, "Throughout history, there have been similar challenges to other landmark legislation such as the Social Security Act, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act, and all of those challenges failed. We believe the challenges to Affordable Care Act…will also ultimately fail and that the Supreme Court will uphold the law."

The Affordable Care Act differs from these other landmark laws in many ways. While these others faced legal challenges, not one of them was sued by 28 states. While these others enjoyed bipartisan support, ObamaCare was passed in a rushed party-line vote over public opposition and with raw political bribery to get the needed votes.

The Supreme Court justices do not live under rocks — they are fully aware of the ugly political process that gave us ObamaCare.

The vote in Ohio in November is a vote from citizens themselves. It is imperative that Issue 3 passes.

We need you to help us send the message to Washington.

There will be ways for you who live in Ohio and adjoining states to get involved directly, and we will be sharing those with you in the weeks ahead.

But the most important thing right now is funds: It takes a lot of money to get people in Ohio who oppose ObamaCare to know that this critical issue is on the ballot. We must make phone calls, run ads, and send out mailings, and make sure our people know about the critical importance of this vote, not to just Ohio, but to the nation and to all of us.

Your contribution can make a real difference in helping us make all of our voices heard: We must raise at least $500,000 right away to do this right. Please make a contribution today of $20, $50, $100, $250 or more if you can to help us fight and win this battle.

Thank you!