AN EMERGING NATIONAL STRATEGY? The conservative movement has been hurt by an unpopular war, and the appearance of corruption and incompetence in the national administration. Is taking on corruption in the states a way to rebuild the movement?

There are signs emerging of just such a movement among some conservatives, and they're turning to the ballot to do it. There's already a South Dakota measure to ban the use of taxpayer funds for lobbying. Now a similar ballot initiative is emerging in Nevada. It has a companion measure that would try to shine more light on government contracting. The Las Vegas Review Journal has a report.

CATHOLIC BISHOPS in Montana have declined to endorse the personhood initiative in that state. This is a new class of initiatives that installs in state constitutions a broad definition of human being as anything from a fertilized egg on up. Montana's Catholic conference decided not to endorse the measure because it prefers other strategies -- parental notification, making adoption easier -- for fighting abortion.

MARYLAND SLOTS OWNERS WONDER ABOUT sLOTS INITIATIVE It's a problem when the beneficiaries of a referendum are asking themselves whether they want to support the campaign financially. And that's what's happening with a November referendum in Maryland that would allow horse track owners to install slot machines. Some owners are concerned about spending money on a measure that might lose, and about whether they need the slot machines after all.