Is now the time for a viable third party?

Over the last four years, American politics have become more and more polarized.  The left is becoming more progressive and the right, extremely conservative.  The rise of the Tea Party has moved the right even further right.  So much so that popular Republican Presidents - Reagan, Roosevelt, and even Nixon would find themselves too liberal for the likes of today’s Republican Party.

Over the first few years of President Obama’s administration, he tried to meet the Republicans in the middle.  His attempts at compromise were generally met with disdain.  Even when he did get things passed (Obamacare, payroll tax holidays, etc.) the House drug their feet and forced President Obama to move further to the right than he wanted to.  Yet, he was determined to make all sides happy.  That didn’t happen.  Despite these attempts at compromise, the right still paints Obama as a socialist.

With both parties moving to their ideological poles, is it time for a third party to come in and stake a claim for the moderate, centrist middle of America?  There are a number of political parties trying to be that voice of the center.  But, they don’t seem to be gaining ground.  There is even an organization, America Elects, that is trying to run a caucus/primary online to have America select a 3^rd Party Independent to be on the Presidential election ticket.  But, despite their efforts, it seems that they are not getting the support they desire and have had to cancel at least one caucus due to limited interest.

So what will happen?  Will both the Republicans and the Democrats continue to move to the far reaches of the political spectrum while more and more of us become disillusioned?  Does this alienation of the middle create apathy for elections?  I am interested to hear your thoughts regarding this topic.