[kosciusko51]

A 3rd party would start out fairly ineffective, and we would have to undergo several election cycles in the wilderness, so to speak, before we saw any positive effect (barring a presidential victory).

I don't think the US survives several more elections cycles in the course we are presently headed. A third party is not the answer; a divorce is necessary.

[jjsheridan5]

A third party is not the answer; a divorce is necessary

What do you mean, "divorce"? Either way, there are no short term fixes. Trying to forge a shortcut where there is none never works. If we can't survive several more election cycles, then the country is gone, because conservatives have no method to stop liberalism, now that liberalism is the operating ideology of both parties. A third party may or may not work. What separates it from other strategies is that we don't know that it won't work. (Personally, I believe that a 3rd party would grow like wildfire, and we wouldn't have to wait several election cycles; however, one doesn't need to believe this to conclude that it is the only viable strategy).