Third party fringers have sideline seats... they're unelectable malcontents.
Thinking like this will most assuredly perpetuate the malaise.
I prefer to continue working for the correct candidates at the grassroots level and remaining optimistic.
What you see as malaise, I see as robust. The country is almost evenly divided. That leaves the fringe parties on the outsdie looking in. GOOD place for 'em.