This isn't new, it happens in every election. Are there problems with the US system?
Youbetcha. But the 2 parties that could fix them have chosen not to... in fact they've worked hard to make it worse.
Instead of offering solutions,,the NYT uses opinion polls to scare third party voters into voting #StatusQuo or staying home.
This long running vote suppressing strategy is why more eligible American voters stayed home in 2016 than voted for Mrs Clinton or Mr Trump.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_United_States_presidential_election