The 'inherent tension' between the Top and the Bottom, is different from the unnecessary 'tensions', created by Political Parties.

The inherent tension between the Top and the Bottom of Government is an 'institutional tension', created by the difference in the 'nature' of the Top and the Bottom of Government. The tensions and oppositions created by the 'ideologically' different, Political Parties, are tensions that have their arising from the different perspectives about 'Governing'. Of course, the Parties vie for Office, and hence will try to prevail, by anything they can get away with. The proposals about the so-called 'best policy' for the Bottom, are easily forgotten in the skirmish. Politics, unfortunately, is all about winning Office. How sad. Even if the differences were actual differences in implementing Democratic Policy ( which they seldom are)the welfare of the Nation, or the People at the Bottom, is soon forgotten, in the 'struggle' for political victory. It would seem that in a Democratic society, the differences in implementing 'democracy' should not vary that much. There could well be some disagreement on how to implement a Policy, but a complete disagreement, with the Democratic value of the Policy, is absurd. The purpose of all Democratic policies is the 'freedom and equality' of the individuals, or, it could be, the more 'smooth functioning' of the 'machinery' of Democracy. Political Office, has no other function. Its only a 'Representative' position. Politicians should have political goals, not personal goals. Of course, its a well known fact that 'power' corrupts many politicians by transforming political, Representative, aspirations into greedy pursuits for 'more' power, and for a place on the Forbes list. How unfortunate. Democracy 'gives' them a job to perform, and their greed takes over, and they puff-up, with self-importance.