Should the two party system be abolished?

I would have to say it is not the two party system that is the problem but those elected who do not work with the other side and know how to compromise to achieve results that is the real reason we are having so many issues today. The two party system that developed, shortly after the constitution was adopted, has functioned for better or for worse for the last 216 plus years. Sure there have been bad times but there have also been several very productive years in congress and the government as a whole. It comes down to leadership in congress and a willingness to work with the other side.

While a multiparty system might brink about coalition building and compromise it also can be extremely ineffective, just look at most of Europe.

Also if you really get into the weeds we have a multi party system. There are members of Congress across the political spectrum form right wing conservatives, to conservatives, to socially liberal conservatives, moderates, fiscally conservative liberals, liberals and progressive liberals.

Great question. Both parties are more alike than different it seems. They are filled with career politicians that line their pockets with our money and leave office wealthy without making a positive impact on the rest of us.

Americans need more choices. But under our current system I think it would be difficult to make the change as both current parties would fight hard against it.

I have written of this before, but if I may repeat myself for this thread;
In 2004, I was involved in an attempt to form a viable 3rd party, the Veterans Party of America. (yes, I know there is one now. Not the same people). I invested a lot of my own time and money, travelling around the state of Washington, speaking at VFW's, AL, and other places where we could gather Veterans and their supporters. This effort failed for two very basic reasons. One, those at the top, the national level, had too much internal struggling over who was going to run things. Second, it was very difficult to enroll members because we had no set ideology. Often I heard: If the party is going to be liberal I will stay with the Republicans, or, If the party is going to be conservative, I will stay Democrat. We tried to form with a moderate ideological platform, but could satisfy almost no one. So, the effort failed.
We see the same today. The two most viable "other" parties are the Greens and the Libertarians. The former is considered by many as being to liberal while the latter is considered to conservative. So, they become simply extensions to the existing two major parties.
I feel it would be far better to organize a means to improve on what we have, through election finance reform, plus a more active involvement by our citizens in the actual operation of the parties, at all levels.

Take a look everywhere else. When you don't have a state enforced (e.g. Communist, dictator, etc.) single party, the systems most always gravitates to two parties anyways. There may be 8 parties, but only two that ultimately matter. The exception is where old tribal and other connections remain strong and you have to have a coalition of say the largest 3-4 parties to make a go of it.

The problem is when both parties move so far away from each other and the majority, their relevance, hence their power is questioned. That has created a very large independent voting block here. I expect it to get larger. In the larger scheme it will be a matter of how bad the uber types want to lose. It's been coming for a long time. Remember Blue Dog Democrats were middle of the road Republicans 50 years ago.

it already has in the true sense.

Excellent responses! Thank you. I've definitely learned a lot from this! This was not as black and white as I originally thought.

We were well on our way to a legit third party until the Tea Party threw all in with the Republicans and went the way of the doo doo and the libertarian party has never really gained ground on the 2 major parties maybe we can get Collin Powell to run on the modern whig party with stormin Norman as his VP. who Knows stranger things have happened!

No, but the two parties should make a HUGE concerted effort to raise up and make viable a 3rd and/or 4th party. Is it in their best interest? NO. Is it in the best interest of America and her people? YES.

No. What we need to do instead is focus on providing the states more rights and making our country a constitional republic again, which what we were founded as. I would love to see a state's convention again. The executive branch has grown too strong because the checks and balances within the three branches are failing. The legislative branch is unwilling to keep the executive branch in check and the judicial branch is more concerned with activism. It's up to the states to make things right.

I've seen on TV lately that some other countries have had their multi-party systems destroyed, via military coup or foreign operative intervention . It seems to have worked out well for the folks that are now in charge. Politics is always ugly. Both sides lie. Power will always corrupt. Pick your poison.