Charles Wheelan has just written “The Centrist Manifesto”, which advocates that a new, centrist political party be created. His book argues that such a party would be potentially capable of winning four or five U.S. Senate seats, and holding the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Here is more information about the author. He has written four previous books, one of which was a best-seller. He teaches at Dartmouth. Thanks to PoliticalWire for this news.
On March 28, a new bill to create a top-two primary for Montana was introduced. SB 408, though not a proposed state constitutional amendment, would ask the voters if they wish to pass the measure. Because it goes to the voters, it does not need to be signed by the Governor. If it passes, it will be on the 2014 ballot.
On April 2, SB 408 passed the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee by a vote of 4-3. All Republicans on the Committee voted “Yes” and all Democrats voted “No.”
The bill appears faulty because it doesn’t re-define “political party.” Currently, in Montana, parties are groups that polled at least 5% (of the winning gubernatorial candidate’s vote total) for any statewide race. It appears that if the bill were enacted, the Democratic and Republican Parties would remain on the ballot because they always poll 5% for President (top-two bills never try to change presidential elections). But there would be no way for a party to remain ballot-qualified unless it could poll 5% for President, because under the bill, except for President, parties wouldn’t have nominees.
No one testified against the bill in committee, except the Secretary of State, because opponents did not know about the bill. The bill is being pushed forward by Republicans who are angry that the Libertarian Party held the balance of power last year in both the gubernatorial election and the U.S. Senate election, and Democrats won both.
Law Professor Richard L. Hasen has this article mulling over the arguments for and against having the United States switch to a parliamentary system.
Minnesota Public Radio has this essay about the usefulness of political parties. The comments are somewhat more interesting than the article itself.
The Country Party, which was on the ballot only in Wyoming in 2012, and which concentrated on state legislative races, has decided that it will not attempt to re-petition in 2014 as a party. However, it is likely that some of the party’s activists and past candidates will run for the legislature in 2014 as independent candidates. The independent petition requirement for legislative races is typically less than 100 signatures.
