The term REPS. FOES refers to the two major political parties in the United States, the Republican Party (REPS) and the Democratic Party (DEMS). The two parties have been in opposition to each other since the early 19th century, when the Democratic-Republican Party split into the Democratic Party and the Whig Party, which later became the Republican Party. The two parties have different ideologies and policies, and they often clash on issues such as taxation, healthcare, and immigration.