Welcome to Pennsylvania...

"Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh on one end, Philadelphia on the other, and Alabama in between."

-James Carville

Over the next 7 weeks, the entire world will get to know a lot more about my home state of Pennsylvania. The birthplace of our democracy, the cradle of quarterbacks, the home of Ben Franklin and K.Leroy Irvis. (The first Black Speaker of any Legislative body in America)

You will learn all about the Pennsylvania Dutch, (who are really German) the Amish, Primanti Brothers sandwiches, cheesesteaks and pierogies. You will learn about Philly, Pittsburgh, Erie, Johnstown, Altoona, York, Harrisburg, Reading, the Lehigh Valley, Scranton and a bunch of other places you never heard of.

People like Jim Burn, Luke Ravenstahl, Dan Onorato, Bill Deweese, Mark DeVecchio, Don Cunningham, Bob Brady, Mike Nutter, Katherine Baker Knoll, Patrick Murphy, Alison Schwartz, Chaka Fattah, Mike Doyle, Marge Tartaglione and Joe Sennott will become national figures. Ed Rendell's huge shadow over the state will loom larger and larger.

You will hear some great accents, eat some unhealthy food and drink some great booze. You will learn what ward leaders are and what they do. You will meet more pro-choice republicans and pro-life democrats than you can shake a stick at. It's going to be intense, hardfought and taxing, but it will be fun!

Welcome to Pennsylvania America!

K