Note to my old friend, Keenan Warner: Do you honestly think anything, absolutely anything, could be worse than the last eight years of a secretive, dishonest (to put it politely), war-mongering, torture-sanctioning, divisive, hateful government the Bush administration has put this country through?

I'm afraid all of the "small government, fiscally conservative" Republicans who used to appreciate and encourage intelligence are long gone. I will always support a thoughtful, intelligent leader, be he/she Democrat or Republican, over a "Joe-Six-Pack, Joe-the-Plumber, someone you want to have a beer with" mentality.

I'm saddened to think that someone of your intelligence would buy into the "spread-the-fear-of-socialism" theory being marketed by the likes of Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.

However, I'm very happy to know that you will at least give this intelligent, vibrant young president-elect and his administration a chance, with the realization that it will take time and patience before we can even begin to climb out of the enormous hole we've been placed in by an inept president and Congress.