For review: PEP 308 - If-then-else expression

[Paul Rubin]

Erik Max Francis <max at alcyone.com> writes:
> > I'm proposing that the parser should decide when it sees the "if" that
> > it is parsing an if-statement and rule out the possibility that it is
> > parsing an expression that is also a statement.
> 
> In other words, writing
> 
> 	if C: x else: y
> 
> as a standalone statement (the Corner Case) is illegal. 

I don't see why that should be illegal, given that there's no doubt
about what it's supposed to do.  I don't think it's that useful to do
it, but why treat it specially or make it illegal?  After all, writing

  2 + 3

as a standalone statement is perfectly legal.