Political analyst: A party that temporarily positions itself in the negligible crack between the
American right and left will do little to expand the public debate. What America needs is a permanent third party. Some claim that America's success stems from the two party system. These people say that a third party would make the passage of legislation and thus governance impossible. Furthermore, they point to the current sluggish pace of government as proof that the country cannot bear the burden of a third party. Yet, most European countries have multi-party systems and few complain about any inability to govern there. Which of the following best describes the functions of the two sections in boldface in the argument above?