The Two-Party System is Not Constitutional

In an opinion piece for the Huffington Post, Tina Marie Labruzzo argues that "we need a "middle child" in American politics," and calls for a moderate alternative to the bipolar deadlock between the Republican and Democratic parties.  Excerpt:

The fact that the Republicans and Democrats in our Congress can't and won't work together to tackle extreme challenges that threaten the welfare of our country is proof we need a third political party. The third political party can be a middle child of sorts, comprised of a more moderate position. This moderate position can help bring Republican and Democrats together by providing an alternative to the American people, who actually prefer some combination of Republican and Democrat policies.

This sentiment, or something very similar to it, is supported by a large proportion – if not also the majority – of the American public, if years' worth of public surveys and polls saying as much can be trusted.  There is broad support for alternatives to the Democrats and Republicans, and there is no lack of demands and calls for "a third party" even in the mainstream media.  What is lacking, however, is any specificity about what that "third party" should be.  Labruzzo concludes:

The American people need a third political party to ensure Republican and Democrats cross party lines to make the tough decisions needed, now and in the future, to tackle the issues that threaten the country.

Interestingly, however, "to ensure that Republicans and Democrats cross party lines" it doesn't really matter what third parties are represented in government.  It would suffice to elect enough third party and independent members to our legislative bodies to prevent the Republican or Democratic parties from possessing a majority of seats in those bodies.  In the Congress, this would require the election of only a few dozen third party or Independent candidates to the House and just a handful to the Senate.  But to this end, abstract calls for an alternative to the Republicans and Democrats, without any specificity regarding the who or the what, are of little help.  Of course, it does not help that so many people appear to believe that the two-party system is enshrined in the constitutional construction of the United States.  Labruzzo writes:

The American government was created to provide checks and balances to make sure the system worked effectively and to curb power from residing in any one area of government. The problem that couldn't be avoided is what happens when the system is in perfect balance -- caught between two extreme positions -- hindering legislative action during crucial times when decisive action is needed.

Labruzzo here confuses the constitutional system of checks and balances in the United States with the extra-constitutional two-party state that has been constructed by the decree of Republican and Democratic lawmakers.  The system is not "in perfect balance," rather the constitutional system of the United States has been systematically undermined by the dictatorship of the Republican-Democrat two-party state.  For this reason alone, we are in desperate need of real political alternatives.