Aspiring to be Struldbruggs

MANIFESTO

What is it with the aged public figures of Pennsylvania? First, the octogenarian Joe Paterno wears out his welcome in State College, and now Arlen Specter refuses to call it a career in the US Senate. Even though he's just been diagnosed with a recurrence of lymphatic cancer, Specter has "already announced he will run for re-election in 2010, and he said the cancer won't stop him from that."

It's certainly not unprecedented for someone advanced in years to conciliate his ego serve the people of the Keystone State for a protracted period of time. However, the commonwealth must have somebody else—like, say, mere striplings in their sixties—who could take over for this superannuated duo. It certainly seems like the taxpayers who pay these elderly folks their salaries could do better with some younger personnel.

And lest readers think my aversion to people past their prime relates only to Republicans, let me say that the fact that the nonagenarian Robert Byrd is still serving in the US Senate is an absolute embarrassment to the voters of West Virginia and to the nation.