According to Pew Research, I’m a liberal. My leanings are typical of an American who has lived or grown up overseas. I’ve never pigeon-holed myself in the past as a liberal. I’m conservative in some areas and mostly middle-of-the-road. I took Pew’s survey and there you go. I’m a liberal.

As a military brat, I’m also intensely patriotic. I know what it’s like to live overseas. And I experienced intimately the cultures of those countries. And I KNOW that the grand ole U.S. of A. is still by far one of the best countries to live and dream in. Truly.

This whole health care reform debate was the impetus for figuring out my political leanings. I’m a self-employed, small business owner. I mean SMALL. I pay self-employment taxes. No one else contributes to my social security or medicare taxes. I pay 100%. I also pay $13,000 a year in health insurance premiums and HSA contributions for a family of four to have, essentially, catastrophic insurance.

Before someone argues that the HSA contributions don’t count. My 1099 for 2009 showed that I spent $5,200 of my $5,600 HSA contribution. My deductible is $5,600. Only $400 of last year’s contribution has rolled over to this year. And I’ve yet drummed up enough money to contribute to my HSA this year. Note that until I use up my entire deductible, I pay everything out-of-pocket. So for the last three years, my premium payments have only afforded me the ability to take advantage of small in-network discounts at doctor’s offices and on prescriptions. Again, I mean SMALL.

I am holding out hope that H.R. 3962 (albeit an imperfect reform plan) will allow me to shop around for better and more cost efficient plans that do not deny my children coverage, nor require so many riders on their existing conditions or previously injured body parts as to be useless.

I downloaded the bill and am currently reading it. The hearsay and rhetoric have gotten old. Why not educate myself? Of course, the bill does not equal the actual “plan” they’re supposed to come up with. But I’m holding out hope that for us middle- and lower-class families the struggle to find health insurance will become easier. I truly hope this bill will make a difference. Surely, it’ll help repair some of the existing issues in the system.

I particularly appreciate that six months from now insurance companies will no longer be able to deny applicants/children with pre-existing conditions. Trust me, in my six month search for insurance after leaving my previous employer of 10 years, this was and continues to be a big issue.