Like Republicans, Democrats are a collection of different interest/identity groups in a marriage of convenience forced by a political system that by (unintended) design can only support two parties. Republicans have a strange alliance of pro-business/pro-plutocrats, libertarians, and social conservatives. Each of these groups are at odds. But they are all Republican. Democrats include social progressives, economic socialists, and pro-business liberals (aka neo-liberals). And these groups find themselves at odds as well. But they all get to be Democrats. And the psychology of binary choices means that both sides forgive/overlook the inconsistencies of the positions of the rest of their “team” while demonizing the opposition with the worst traits of the other coalition. Inside each party there is an equally fierce fight about what it really means to be Republican/Democrat, but the other team is not welcome to participate.
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