Here are the differing positions of the party factions in a nutshell:
The GOP
- Reactionaries think the purpose of the state is to advance the interests of white Christians.
- PBPs think the purpose of the state is to advance the interests of businessmen.
- CDs think the purpose of the state is to advance everyone’s interests.
- CLs think the purpose of the state is to do as little as possible so as to secure freedom.
Naturally, there are points of overlap here, but there are conflicts, too. That is the principal reason why the GOP majorities in Congress find it so difficult to actually govern.
The Democrats
I have described the Democratic Party as a “victims coalition” made up of groups that view the state as their only possible protection against the legal, social, and economic power of the white Christian patriarchy. These groups (ethnic minorities, the gay community, working women, and non-Christians) have a common sympathy for each other and do not typically compete for resources. As a result, the Democratic Party tends to be more cohesive than the GOP, but has difficulty competing in states that are dominated politically by white Christians.