But no, this is not a difference in the ideological sense. Ideological loyalties have been largely inconsistent between both parties. While there are some general rules you can count on in most cases, Republicans and Democrats will often blur the lines of the ideological divide, often making themselves more conservative than they are in order to win votes. Once they are in office, however, they will arrogantly, with few exceptions, create whatever rules and regulations they deem fit to do so. This usually involves whatever benefits them the most and not the people they are suppose to represent.
No, the real difference between the Democrats and the Republicans is in how they operate. Throughout much of their history in the last century, the Democrats have often circled the wagons and defended their own against attacks. They will make excuses for bad behavior saying it is none of our business and they will be protected by their fellow Democrats. I remember seeing the hearings on Bill Clinton’s impeachment. Not once did I hear of a Democrat who stood up and said that President Clinton had committed perjury, a serious offense, and that he should be booted out of office. The same with so many others, like Barney Frank who had a partner running a gay brothel out of his Washington DC apartment. He should have been kicked out of office then as well. Instead, we have a banking mess because Barney Frank lacks discernment.
The Republicans, on the other hand, are very quick to throw their own under the bus. Every time there is some scandal involving a Republican in office, it almost certainly leads to many Republicans condemning the act, most of the time for political posturing. After all, the media will give you no attention if you are Republican and adhere to the party principles. So in order to get recognized by the mainstream press, many Republicans will openly criticize and condemn their own.
Ultimately, there is one consistency between both parties in these cases: a lack of integrity. This is not surprising to me, though, because the most successful people in the United States have more integrity than the Vatican (although I have not been too impressed with the Vatican as of late). The wealthiest people in America all have monumental integrity. In Congress, there is nothing but a bunch of failures. You have failed lawyers, failed businessmen and women, and generally people who could not make a living doing anything else.
But that is all a side note. The truth is that the Democrats are aggressive and united, while the Republicans are passive and disjointed. It has been that way for decades, no matter what the leadership is. The Republicans have always had strong leaders throughout the last half century while the Democrats have not. Only know in the wake of Bush’s destruction of the Republican party do we see a black hole where the leadership used to be. President Bush himself was not a strong party leader and often times failed to whip the party when needed, except on a few issues he was passionate about (like legalizing the ongoing Mexican invasion).
You can always count on the Democrats to attack you with vicious, irrational attacks if you oppose them. And you can always count on your fellow Republicans to stand by, lick their finger, and stick it in the air. Both parties are despicable in that sense and I would rather do without either. That is why I never pay attention to their party affiliation and instead look at the individual records of the person I am voting for. It does not take much to understand how a person thinks by the words and deeds of their past.