What's the difference between republicans and democrats?

What's the difference between the republicans and democrats?

Democrats are generally more liberal and Republicans are generally more conservative. Democrats tend to kind of like a federal government should help them with certain things and republicans are more independent though they use the government at times just not as much as the Democratic party.

republicans tend to be more of jerks in their beliefs in my experience

More answers here
http://www.funadvice.com/q/difference_between_conservitive_and
http://www.funadvice.com/q/republican_or_democrat

Dems:
Higher minimum wage
Affordable health care for all (some are calling for universal health care)
Equal opportunity for all Americans regardless of sex, age, race, sexual orientation, religion, creed, or national origin (which means most dont have an issue with giving gay people equal rights, divisions on the marriage issue though)
Support access to birth control, and sex education in schools
Abortion to be safe, legal
Support for stem cell research with federal funding.
Oppose the doctrine of unilateralism, which dictates that the United States should use military force without any assistance from other nations whenever it believes there is a threat to its security or welfare
Opposed to use of torture
Focus on crime prevention (as opposed to punishment)
Believe in various gun control measures...
Believe social services are important, and are for social security, welfare etc...

Reps:
Law is the province of the legislature and that judges should not legislate from the bench
Greater limitations placed upon federal power and a larger role reserved for the States.
Favor a free-market, policies supporting business
Believing in limiting social services (like welfare) to prevent it from being abused
Generally do not favor labor unions
Believe strict environmental standards hurt businesses (some are skeptical about global warming)
Do not support gay marriage or gay people in the army
Oppose abortion
Religious wing tends to support organized prayer in public schools and the inclusion of teaching creationism or intelligent design alongside evolution.
Some members actively oppose the federal funding of embryonic stem cell
Supports unilateralism in issues of national security, believing in the ability and right of the United States to act without external or international support in its own self-interest.

In practice, nothing.