Shribman blames FDR for trying, but admits that FDR failed in an attempt to create ideologically aligned parties. Today, we have a very nearly purely conservative Republican party, and a similar purely liberal Democrat party.
Shribman is entirely convinced that ideologically aligned parties don't work; I am less certain. What is certain is that members of one party are unlikely to become friends with representatives of the other party, as used to happen.
All it would take for the current alignment to work is a clear majority for one of the parties in both houses of Congress and the Presidency. With a clear majority a party should be able to govern. The growing group of independents are sufficiently large to give one party that majority.
