Of the 535 members of Congress, only 2 are Independents.  This represents a meager 0.4%, while polls continue to reveal that 35-40% of Americans consider themselves to be Independents, unaffiliated with either major party.

Over the last thirty years, a time period in which Republicans and Democrats have added about $12 trillion to the national debt, there have only been two Independent presidential candidates.  And since 1980, independent, third party presidential candidates have only been allowed to participate in 23% of the debates, despite the rising percentage of Independent voters.

So, despite $12 trillion of additional debt, 4 recessions, and a balanced budget only about 15% of the time over the last three decades, Republicans and Democrats maintain a stranglehold on U.S. politics.  As Americans have shifted toward a less partisan political make-up, Presidential administrations and Congress have shifted toward a more hyper-partisan make-up.

Who's to blame then?  Ballot laws? The two major parties? The media? The American people?

And what solutions would you propose to rectify this glaring discrepancy?