Albert R. Hunt ("Throw the bums out. And then what?" Aug. 2) would have us believe that it is so difficult to build a successful third political party that we shouldn't even bother to try.

Nonsense. The two major parties are held hostage by the extremists (because the extremists always show up).

We are left with the choice of somehow organizing the moderates to show up in greater numbers than the extremists, or, as Hunt suggests, begin a third party from the ground up.

The first will not happen without a sexy issue (such as a real attack against Social Security) that will bring the old folks storming to the caucuses, and the second will take a generation or more to even begin to take hold.

We need a third-party candidate for president. Again.

The time is indeed right. Nobody believes in what President Obama is selling any more, and everybody is scared to death of the Republicans.

Outside of the constitutional requirements, the only things we ask of this candidate is to have courage and brains and not be crazy. These qualities alone will set them apart from what the major parties have to offer.

Dennis Kucinich, anyone?

JESSE H. LYKKEN, MINNEAPOLIS