The one thing that could get Republicans and Democrats united and holding hands would be the formation of a viable third party that was a credible and equal threat to both of them.

The immediate model would be something intermediate coalescing in between, say a coalition of conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans. But I don't really see that happening.

What's more likely is the Republicans shifting more to the center and the far right forming its own new party out in the Tules somewhere. This is what happened with the States Rights and the Dixiecrats and other such aberrations. "Independents" are, in my opinion, more likely to be ex-Republican than former Democrats. Libertarians will, when the chips are down, go with the Republicans. They may not be social conservatives or religious wackos, but they'll vote for their wallets every time. And far-left radical Democrats are way too scarce to ever be a force in American politics (regardless of what the right wingers say).

Have I left anyone out?