Law Professor Richard L. Hasen has this article mulling over the arguments for and against having the United States switch to a parliamentary system.
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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.
Former California legislator Gary K. Hart has this op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, recommending that the California Constitution be changed so that legislative vacancies would be filled by some method other than special election. He reports that only 25 states fill state legislative vacancies with special elections. He mentioned some of the methods used by the other states, but he did not mention that in some states, the political party of the legislator who resigned or died can fill the vacancy, with input from certain public officials. For example, a party may suggest three names and the Governor might choose one from that list. This system requires special procedures when the legislator who resigns or dies was an independent.
On March 21, the Arizona Judiciary Committee passed SB 1263. It sets forth procedures by which out-of-state paid circulators would register with the Secretary of State. The circulators would also provide a copy of the completed registration to the employer. Read the bill here.