The checks and balances work when there are people actually on the other side of the scale.
The US constitution was not designed for political parties. If it it was you might see things mostly the same except the house was elected based on national vote for proportional representation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proportional_representation Which would result in more fluid party representation.
To be honest, I'd almost prefer a neutral organization specialized in facilitating any political campaign to the System of Political parties we have now. If I have to hear "You have to vote Republican or Democrat or it's a wasted vote," again from people cavetching about the state of the political climate and situation in the U.S., and I may not continue to be so adept at not lashing back with a sharp-tongued response.
Until the Establishment on both major political parties come to terms with the fact that both of them can lose there will be no fundamental change in direction of politics.
I don't even count the pathetic excuse for statesmanship we're currently experiencing, because those are mainly differences in amplitude of already established patterns and tendencies rather than an appreciable shift in Qualitative policymaking.
A quick check with Congress shows various bills introduced to address excesses :
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr5212 Tim Walberg Sponsor. Representative for Michigan's 7th congressional district. Republican.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1219... Sponsor: Rep. Collins, Doug [R-GA-9] (Introduced 02/14/2019)