Seriously, there is no "plot" to this. No conspericy to keep the people down. The problem is that there's two very different parties who hate each other trying to share the same country, so their's a lot of pulling and everything going no where. It's like saying that people use sports fans as an excuse to riot. There are people like that but they are the the minority, but others want to focus on them as an excuse to hate sports fans.
I went to a riot and a hockey game broke out
Also, on the question of what differences there are between democrats and republicans-
Fundementally, [I'm rather sure that] democrats advocate the funneling of more power to the government. leave taxes and increase spending.
Republicans, meanwhile, try to shrink the government. Cut spending on non-essential government programs (In this case, Social Security all day erry day), and raise taxes.
So, while you guys say that the differences are purely cosmetic, they are quite literally polar opposites.
What? No. no. no. NO!
You need to pay attention to what the parties actually DO.
Both parties advocate the funneling of more power to the government.
Democrats believe in paying for government with taxes.
Republicans believe in paying for government with debt, basically pawning off responsibility to future generations.
Democrats believe that some of that big government should support the middle and lower classes, to keep them from rioting in the streets if nothing else.
Republicans believe that all of that big government should support the wealthy, subtly control the middle class and subjugate the lower class.
The tea party is a relatively new faction in the republican party that actively wants to undo every bit of progress made in the last 300 years towards social justice and equity.