Vigorous two-party competition provides the best guarantee for meaningful, broad-based governance and modest salaries for lawmakers add a second protection against narrow-interest legislation, finds a national study spanning 120 years of state lawmaking.

Illinoisans who have suffered through a year of political bickering that nearly brought state government to a standstill might rejoice that 2007 is finally coming to an end - except that the situation isn't looking much brighter for 2008.

By The Dominion Post, Morgantown, W.Va. Mar. 15--Many teachers might flunk the recent legislative session if given a chance. Presidents of the state's two teachers unions this week said the 60-day session was a disappointment, largely because there was no teacher pay raise.