I have only one difference with what you say, Bucco. That difference is that President Obama really didn't lie to us during the campaign. He campaigned on change and laid out his agenda pretty clearly. About the only thing that was unexpected is the financial meltdown that began to occur late in the campaign and put the world on life support just about the time of the inauguration. Beyond the actions and legislation designed to address that problem, he's pretty much doing what he said he intended to do during the campaign.

Our problem is that we became so accustomed to candidates saying one thing during a political campaign, and then doing another once elected, that we don't quite know how to deal with someone who is actually doing what he said he would.

I will compliment you on one thing--staying true to your beliefs based on your own analysis of the facts. You and I didn't always agree on the emphasis placed on one set of facts or another, but you never changed course. Good for you. I complement you for that.

In my case, I still haven't thrown in the towel on our new President. Even knowing what I do now, I still would not have voted for the McCain-Palin ticket. I honestly think things would be worse now had they been elected, mostly because of their inability to understand and react, particularly to the financial and economic situation. The leadership that John McCain has provided from his important slot in the Senate since he lost the election has been disappointing. It's almost as if he has gone into early retirement, even though the situation and the issues are dire. His abdication of his position of leadership is unexplicable and very disappointing to me. Governor Palin's recent withdrawal from elected office is also disappointing. She says she'll provide conservative leadership, but how? Had that team been elected, I am convinced that the situation would actually be worse than we're experiencing.

I certainly don't like or agree with everything this administration has done and I've said so. But on balance so far--as I've said--I'm not willing to throw in the towel just yet. I'm just hopeful that the GOP can present a candidate in 2012 that will permit me to honestly conclude that things could get better with a new and truly conservative administration. Otherwise, I'm stuck with the decision of voting for the devil I know--or simply withdrawing from the elective process.