The May 2 Washington Post has this interesting collection of short essays, by six authors, of whether the U.S. would be better off with a third major party. Part of the impetus for this question is the May 6 British election, and part of it is the decision of Governor Charlie Crist to run as an independent for U.S. Senate in Florida.

The commentary by Newt Gingrich is not accurate when it says that the United States has experienced only one switch in the identity of the two major parties since 1828. Gingrich properly acknowledges the mid-1850’s, when the Whig Party mostly died out and the Republican Party became the newest major party. But he ignores the period 1834-1836, when the National Republican Party died and was replaced by the Whig Party. The National Republican Party existed from 1825 through 1835. It ran John Quincy Adams for re-election in 1828, and Henry Clay in 1832. Thanks to Rob Richie for the link.

The Guardian, one of the leading daily newspapers of Great Britain, has this lengthy editorial, which resoundingly endorses proportional representation, and also endorses voting for the Liberal Democratic Party in the May 6 election. Thanks to Gene Berkman for the link.

The Arizona legislature adjourned for the year on the evening of April 29. SB 1024 did not pass. It is the bill that started out as a simple bill to delete the names of presidential elector candidates from the November ballot. It was then amended to require presidential candidates of qualified parties to submit proof that they meet all the constitutional qualifications. Although the bill had passed in both houses, the two houses passed different versions, and there was no time for a conference commitee.

The legislature also failed to pass any bills to cut off funding for the Public Funding program for candidates for state office.