Former Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman vented to a conference call of the No Labels group that America deserves better than Barack Obama and Mitt Romney because they are two guys unwilling to buck their respective political parties.

The former Utah Governor is “downright embarrassed with where we are as a nation and what we’re about to pass on to the next generation.”

Words are cheap, Jon.

With the backing of his billionaire dad, Huntsman has the financial wherewithal to mount a third-party run. The Americans Elect group, which dropped plans for an online convention in June, has ballot access in 30 states, including California, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Colorado and Maryland. Those states combine for more than the 270 electoral votes needed to take the White House. The AE ballot is Huntsman’s for the asking. He should go for it.

Huntsman could mount a “campaign of ideas” similar to what former Republican Congressman John Anderson did in 1980. Anderson challenged George Bush and Ronald Reagan for the GOP line, and then ran as an independent because he felt Reagan was too conservative. He took votes from Jimmy Carter and Reagan equally.

If Huntsman is sincere about elevating the level of political debate from birth certificates and vampire capitalism, he should go the route of Anderson. Huntsman was the guy most feared by the Obama administration, which sent him packing to China as U.S. ambassador. He should get back into the game by retracting his tepid endorsement of Romney.

What’s the alternative? Is it Mayor of New York? That isn’t going to happen, Jon.