Here come da judges

Amazing how stories gain more prominence when they're needed to fill the news vacuum. Arlen Specter and the Judiciary Committee continue to draw attention, as Kansas pro-life activists don't want him running the committee.

We don't trust him," said Mary Kay Culp, director of Kansans for Life, the state's largest anti-abortion group.

Judicial nominations have been a sore spot for conservatives for some time now, but the issue's really starting to percolate post-election.

Attended a breakfast with Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., this morning. He's head of the House Intelligence Committee, and he's saying chances of a reform bill passing have gone from 10 percent to 50 percent this week, but he's not upping it any higher than that. Sen. Pat Roberts, meanwhile, is still in limbo -- his fate's in the hands of Bill Frist (and by extension, Bush) as to whether he'll continue to lead Senate Intel next session. Hoekstra said he's liked working across the Hill with Roberts, but he'll deal with whomever ends up in the spot.

The Pacific Research Institute isn't only doing appearances in Washington toting Kansas's "economic freedom," it's taking the show on the road. A reader pointed me out to an appearance they're doing in New York on Thursday, maintaining that New York (last in freedom, according to their criteria), could learn something from Kansas. Perhaps, indeed. Interesting, though (and PRI pointed this out themselves ) -- their "free states" versus "less free" states tend to mirror the Red-Blue presidential map. Shocking, coming from a libertarian think tank ...