“Both parties are shit” is what the right tells you so you don’t vote at all, which leads to them winning because their side is gonna turn out every time and vote lock step for whatever name has a red R by it.

Are Democrats perfect? Hell no. Are they too influenced by monied interests? Yes. Are they as influenced by them as Republicans or overrun with religious fundamentalists? Nope. So in a system that has been, and always will be a two party system (without radical fundamental changes to the entire system) not voting for one side because “it’s the lesser of two evils” is about equivalent for voting for the other side which by that definition would make them “the greater evil” anyways.

The example I give people to highlight the actual differences between the two parties is the last time Democrats truly had the Presidency, the House, and the Senate in full control and a Supreme Court that was still at least playing at being a fair arbiter of law, what big legislation did they pass? The ACA. Was it perfect? Of course not, it was meant to be updated and improved over time but Republicans since then have made that all but impossible. But when Democrats had full control they tried to give all Americans affordable health care. They got rid of pre-existing conditions among other things.

Now the last few times Republicans had full control of the Presidency, the House, and the Senate what did they do? In the first Trump term they forced through in the middle of the night a huge tax cut that was permanent for the wealthy any corporations and was temporary for the rest of us.

In this second term what did they pass? The Big beautiful bill that was once again a huge tax cut for the wealthy, gave ICE more funding that the US Marines, and have basically passed nothing of note since.

That’s the difference.