It is time to say goodbye to "Uncle Ted".

Known for delivering cash to Alaska, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens is now raking it in.

"No other candidate for federal office in Alaska has ever raised the kind of money the senator has raised in the last six months," said Tim McKeever, treasurer for Stevens' re-election campaign.

But even as he rapidly stockpiles money for his re-election campaign, potential opponents are wondering: Is 2008 the year Uncle Ted is actually vulnerable?

Stevens is an Alaska icon and one-man state industry, bringing huge amounts of federal dollars here. Supporters say he's as vital and feisty as ever. But he is 83 years old and now in the Senate minority.

His son, former state Sen. Ben Stevens has been linked to -- although not indicted in -- a federal corruption investigation.

Alaskans are not naive and we all know that many of our politicians take liberties with their positions and take ethical shortcuts to get things done. We have accepted it because it was often to benefit Alaska, and therefore us. It is like living in a neighborhood that is run by the mob. You know they are crooks, but they keep the crime down, the schools renovated, and the garbage men working on time. So they hide a couple of bodies down by the river, is that so bad?

And Ted is the king of the backroom deal, the king of the "getting his while making sure we get ours" philosophy, the king of the Senate floor smack down for those who dare challenge him.

But I think that the king is dead, or at least terminally ill. And it is time for Alaska to start preparing for driving on roads that are not freshly paved, and treating the oil companies like business partners and not best friends, and even perhaps paying state taxes. Gasp!

The FBI has notified Senator Stevens to preserve his records and are clearly tightening the net to ensnare him just like it has ensnared his son, Ben Stevens.

It was a good run but it is time to embrace a more ethical, and crime free future. And that will not happen with Ted, and his son Ben, Stevens in office.

P.S. by the way if you want to see how Ted has used his influence to funnel money to his son then check here.