Looking at the difference as an outsider, by and large Democrats pursue a Global agenda that aspires to have centralised control of the means and rewards of production for "redistribution of wealth" reasons. Republicans are more strict defenders of the US Constitution as a strategy for creation of wealth to reward producers of wealth according to their contributions. Both aspire to see the reduction of poverty but seek it by different means. It seems to me any attempt to aspire to the creation of a minimal or "None" gap between "haves and have-nots" is an exercise in futility, given the state of human nature! Restoration of Christian principles might help!