Posted by Joel Mathis August 8, 2005 at 9:53 a.m.

Leading contender?

Things seem to be slow in Washington D.C., so we'll do a visit to the blogs today.[RedState.org,][1] this week ranks Sen. Sam Brownback as the second leading contender for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, behind Sen. George Allen, R-Va., and behind Sen. John McCain, who is seen in most circles as the front-runner.Tim Saler writes: "Brownback could be the beneficiary of the sentiment brewing within the Republican base that, while President Bush was the best choice in 2000 and 2004, he is not as conservative as they would prefer. He may want to consider financing other similar-minded conservatives running for office in Republican primaries around the country using a PAC, which could help to build up a stronger base of support. More than any other candidate in the race, Brownback has the ability to develop an overarching theme and message to his candidacy. That will work to his advantage in a very significant way."Other links today:Sam Brownback links [(Boston Globe) US still found wanting in its fight against biological terrorism:][2] One incentive, extending patent protection on profitable drugs made by companies that develop defenses against biological weapons, has set off sharp protests. This ''wild-card patent extension" could be worth billions by shielding a drug company's products from generic competition for up to 18 additional months. The bill's sponsors, including senators Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah; Joseph I. Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut; and Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas, say that without an incentive of this magnitude, big drug companies will not invest in financially risky bioterrorism research.[(Boston Globe) Faithful interpretations:][3] These days, when Republican senator Sam Brownback of Kansas can convert from conservative Methodism to conservative Catholicism without any appreciable effect on his public profile, it's perhaps easy to forget that there are, in fact, fundamental differences that separate the Catholic and Protestant traditions. At root, they are disputes over interpretation of Scripture and the authority of the Bible.Dennis Moore links [(Statesman Journal) Critics: Federal ID-theft bill is weaker than states' laws:][4] Consumer advocates say pending legislation in the House and Senate would give federal protections in the event of identity theft. However, the bills are not as strong as some state laws, some observers argue. "It wouldn't be very workable to have some of the large national companies that issue credit cards, for example, have to adhere to the 50 different state laws that require notification and corrective action," said Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan.How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][5] [1]: http://tim-saler.redstate.org/story/2005/8/7/215452/8663 [2]: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/08/08/us_still_found_wanting_in_its_fight_against_biological_terrorism/ [3]: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/08/07/faithful_interpretations/?page=2 [4]: http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050808/NEWS/508080323/1001 [5]: http://ljworld.com/extra/where_to_write.html#fed