Posted by Joel Mathis June 14, 2005 at 10:38 a.m.

Out of the frying pan ... into where?

Whether it is to become president or a private citizen, Sam Brownback's days in the U.S. Senate appear to be numbered.[The Topeka Capital-Journal][1] reports: "While still weighing a bid for president in 2008, Sen. Sam Brownback said Monday he would stick by a pledge not to run for another term in the Senate."'That's what I said when I first ran, and I intend to stick to that,' he said."That means Brownback will be out of the Senate by 2010 at the latest...."Brownback, meanwhile, is continuing his exploration of a possible bid for president."He admitted Monday he would have a difficult hill to climb to obtain the national name recognition needed to win the GOP nomination."That's why he's starting so early."'It's such a long race that you've kind of got to line up way early, particularly if you haven't been out in that field before,' he said."The senator said he will continue visiting early presidential primary states like Iowa and New Hampshire. But he hasn't said when he will make the decision about whether to run."Other links:Pat Roberts links [(Wichita Eagle) Tanker backers come up empty:][2] Sen. Pat Roberts held part of the corroded belly of a KC-135 at a Senate hearing, claiming U.S. military personnel could be endangered if they keep flying in 45-year-old planes that need replacement. "I don't want the war fighter fighting in this plane," he said during the September 2003 tankers discussion. Today, he's still saying it. But fewer lawmakers are listening.[(Philadelphia Inquirer commentary) Public starts to get a fix on 'fixing' intelligence:][3] The 9/11 Commission never looked at the administration's behavior; commission vice chairman Lee Hamilton said last year, "[Under the law] we were to focus our attention on 9/11 and those events, and not on the war in Iraq." And while a 2004 Senate panel did criticize the prewar intelligence as "a series of failures," it didn't look at whether the Bush team had misused the material. That task was postponed until after the election; today, in the words of Republican Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, it's still "on the back burner."[(Washington Times commentary) The real nuclear option:][4] As envisaged by this group of constitutionally challenged senators, and for "more efficient" evidence-gathering, the FBI could write its own search orders for whatever evidence it wanted to peruse -- be it medical records, gun purchase records, tax records, library records or any other personal information -- without ever needing to go before a federal judge to ensure minimal constitutional standards are met. This wrongheaded step is spearheaded by Sen. Pat Roberts, Kansas Republican, and of course, enjoys the FBI's support.Sam Brownback links [(CBC News) China told not to repatriate North Korean refugees:][5] Last month U.S. Republican Senator Sam Brownback threatened to seek sanctions against China if it did not stop turning back refugees from North Korea. "Thousands are fleeing persecution and starvation only to be rounded up by the Chinese in contravention of international law and returned to North Korea to persecution and probable death," Brownback said. [(WIBW) Brownback Lifts Hold on Diplomatic Nominee:][6] Senator Sam Brownback has lifted his hold on the nomination of a prominent abortion-rights supporter to a European diplomatic post. The action by the Kansas Republican clears the way for Julie Finley to be confirmed by the Senate as ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Finley is a long-time Bush supporter and Republican fund-raiser. She helped found a group that raises money for female Republican candidates who support abortion rights.Jerry Moran links [(Southwest Daily Times) Congress to consider Liberal man's Social Security plan:][7] After he came up with a concrete plan, Ray submitted a copy to Moran's office. Moran then forwarded Ray's ideas to the House Subcommittee on Social Security, which has received numerous plans and ideas for consideration. "Mr. Ray's is one of the few comprehensive plans that we've received, and it's the only one we've forwarded to the subcommittee at this point," said Travis Murphy, Moran's chief of staff, in a phone conversation Wednesday from Washington, D.C. How to contact As always, you can find information to contact members of the Kansas congressional delegation [here.][8] [1]: http://cjonline.com/stories/061405/kan_brownback.shtml [2]: http://www.some-web-page.com [3]: http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/11872791.htm [4]: http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20050611-112053-8414r.htm [5]: http://www.cbc.ca/story/world/national/2005/06/13/nkorea050613.html [6]: http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/1623081.html [7]: http://www.swdtimes.com/swdtimes/2005/061305/story2.html [8]: http://ljworld.com/extra/where_to_write.html#fed