Does America need a third party?

The two-party system is failing America, says The New York Times' Tom Friedman — joining a rising chorus calling for a new alternative

Could the Tea Party be America's third political party?
(Image credit: Getty)

A growing list of centrists — most recently joined by New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman — say America needs a third political party to offer a moderate alternative to the Democrats and Republicans. The inadequate attempts that the "two-party duopoly" has made to address the financial meltdown, the health-care crisis, and other national emergencies demonstrates, says Friedman, how badly we need a "serious third party" that can navigate such waters directly and honestly without worrying about offending special interests. Is he right?

What a tired, silly idea: This third-party nonsense is getting "tiresome," says Steve Benen at Washington Monthly. Do its proponents really believe that some "magical entity" could "establish a 'consensus' among people with sincere disagreements," and successfully pass "a bolder, more sweeping version of the Democratic agenda"? Friedman's time and clout would be better spent pitching "good ideas" and persuading people of their merit.

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