Get a civic grip. The Constitution don’t say nothin about Democrats, Republicans or Teabaggers.

"Although the two party system is almost as old as the Republic, other organizations of parties are possible. We could have no parties, as the founders envisioned. We could have many parties, as is the case in most democracies around the world. Or we could have a single party. The Constitution doesn't care."

One Party?

"In the behavior of the Democrats, the public got a taste of what a parliamentary democracy would look like under the US Constitution.

Philosophical differences and intramural politicking become more prominent. It's a bonanza for cable news outlets. It is not clear whether it is better or worse governance, but it is different.

Oddly, the choice of whether to continue or abandon this experiment lies with the Republicans.

The Democrats did what they had to do, proving that they can govern either way.

The Republicans could go back to historically normal two-party behavior, and undertake what would likely be a long, hard slog back to power.

Or, they could double-down on the bet on tactical opposition, hoping against hope to bring down Obama and the Democrats. If they take that path and fail, the Republican Party risks complete marginalization. America would become even more of a parliamentary democracy.

We could be locked into a single party for decades, suffering from institutional arteriosclerosis, like Japan. Or we could have ever shifting coalitions of many parties, suffering constant instability, like Italy or Israel.

Or, after some time, a viable second party would emerge, and the 220-year American experiment in two party democracy would continue, albeit with different players.

My money would be on door number three."