It's on like Donkey Kong

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The full time crunch of the election season is upon us. Aren't you all so excited? I am not, but I know who I'm voting for. I can only hope much the same can be said for all the other eligible voters out there. While there doesn't seem to be much enthusiasm in the liberal camp, I can only hope there is much less enthusiasm on the other side. Either way, get thee to the polls!

I am no longer in a super political environment, so that is a great weight off my shoulders. I won't be subjected to the nasty calls I had to field in 2010 - see here.

I was surprised to see that someone taped Romney saying all the things I thought he said behind closed doors. I shouldn't be surprised though, cameras are everywhere now. If a celebrity or politico thinks they are "safe" that may not be the case at all.  If a video is taken, it finds its way to the internet!

I am part of that 47% that pays no taxes. Well I do pay taxes - state, federal, SS, medicare, to the point that my paycheck is much less than I'd like each month. Thanks to those popular deductions like mortgage interest, and this child o' mine, we happen to get a return. But does that mean I am shiftless, lazy and looking for a handout? Hardly.

But regardless of the tax blathering stuff, it all goes back to the makers and takers philosophy we've been hearing so much about in the media lately. Are you a maker or a taker?

I read "Atlas Shrugged" years ago. The premise sounds all well and good. If we are all only motivated by our own self-interest, we should aspire to the highest ideals as we would all be working on the same belief system. Unfortunately, that whole self-interest first motivation most of the time leads to self deception, greed, and a first at all costs mentality. Not exactly an all encompassing lifting of all boats.

I would consider myself a maker. But by all measures, I do not "make" what is valued by society. That would usually be some sort of tangible object, item or something you can sell on TV. I like to think that I contribute in my own ways, I am creative, I write (if only I were paid to do it...) but anyhow, I like to think I add to the cultural dialogue. If our society is only based on material objects, where is the fun in that? Where is the value of ideas and dialogue. I would prefer to live on in immortality for an idea, concept, book or heavens to Betsy - a blog, then something made of plastic I came up with and had manufactured in China.

But that's just me. Does this sort of makers and takers question truly need to be the focus of the current national discourse?