Quote:

This the hallmark of the American Political system today. The difference between the home town representative politicians of the past, who thought of their constituents first, and the professional politician class we have today that think of themselves first, their parties second, and only then the people who voted for them.



Sorry to burst your bubble, it's really nothing new:

http://www.senate.gov/senators/Biographical/longest_serving.htm

And truth be told, Arlen is not even in the top 25 all-time. Fact of the matter is, with 6 year terms, you serve 4 terms & you've already put in 24 years. Historically, since day one, politicians get into public service to stroke their egos....simple as that. If you were really in it simply for idealistic reasons and to do good for your constituients all the time....they would eat you up and spit you out and send you on your way after 1 term. To even want to jump into the arena, you have to have an ego! I always laugh when you get someone who runs as "I'm a businessman, not a politician......and......I'm not a Washington insider," I'm like then why the Hell are you running for office? Experience means a lot in Washington & that is why Governor Rendell and President Obama, and the rest will back Arlen to the hilt and campaign for him and throw any other Democratic commers under the bus.

As for Franco Harris, I've met him on a personal level (not at a show or in passing....really met him) and he is really nice & I'm sure he would be great in congress (House), but he doesn't have the experience necessary to serve in the Senate (where they generally are more serious than in the House). Lynn Swann (albeit as a Republican) saw 1st hand that being a former Steeler will only take you so far....even in Pennsylvania. Franco does a lot of good work, but U.S. Senate material he is not (not yet anyway). I'll take experience anyday. And given that Obama will be campaigning for Arlen in PA, I'd say the seat is really his to lose.....given that in the past year PA had over 250,000 voters switch from Republican to Democrat, and Toomey would likely lose to any competent Democrat in the general election.