When I think about the difference between Democrats and Republicans at their core, there is a distinction which always seems deeply embedded in the answer. How each of the parties differ in their treatment of people who they feel are different than themselves. In other words, the others:
The others are people who have different colored skin.
The others are people who have different family customs.
The others are people who have different religions than your own.
The others are people who have mental illness.
The others are people who aren't as educated as yourself.
The others are people who are more educated than yourself.
The others are people who have premarital sex.
The others are people who use birth control.
The others are people who need help affording birth control.
The others are people who have had abortions.
The others are people who are teen parents.
The others are people who are single parents.
The others are people who have been divorced.
The others are people who have had affairs.
The others are people who are members of labor unions.
The others are people who have had their homes foreclosed on.
The others are people who are unemployed.
The others are people who need unemployment assistance to feed their kids.
The others are people who are Gay or Lesbian.
The others are people in prison or who have been in prison.
The others are people without healthcare.
I'll stop here, but the list of human differences and situations could go on and on. As a Democrat when I look at this list, I see myself as belonging to several of these categories over my lifetime. I can include myself as being one of "the others" and can sympathize and can have empathy and understanding for people who are "other" than I am at this point in time.
Republicans look at this list and only see "others". They seem to forget they too had their home foreclosed on. That they too had been a single, 18 year old parent and needed help from the government. They can never quite picture themselves as belonging on this list at any time, ever. You only need to listen and watch the spectacle of CPAC to understand this.
Republicans....Hypocrites all of them!