Political positions of the Democratic Party (United States)

The platform of the Democratic Party of the United States is generally based on modern liberalism, contrasting with the conservatism of the Republican Party. The party generally sits on the center-left of the American political spectrum. Currently, the party has large centrist^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] and progressive^[5]^[6] wings, as well as smaller fiscal conservative^[7] and democratic socialist elements.^[8]

Democratic platforms seek to promote social programs, labor unions, consumer protection, workplace safety regulation, equal opportunity, disability rights, racial equity,^[9] regulations against environmental pollution,^[10]^[11]^[12] and criminal justice reform.^[13] Democrats tend to support abortion rights and the LGBT community, as well as a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.^[14]^[15] Democrats typically agree with the scientific consensus on climate change and favor a multilateral approach in foreign policy.^[15]^[16]

^ Ball, Molly (7 February 2014). "No, Liberals Don't Control the Democratic Party". The Atlantic. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
^ Cirilli, Kevin (2 March 2015). "Centrist Dems ready strike against Warren wing". The Hill. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
^ Gaudiano, Nicole (2016-11-09). "Liberals seek 'ideological shift' in the Democratic Party". USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
^ Alterman, Eric (2008). Why We're Liberals: A Political Handbook for Post-Bush America. Penguin. p. 339. ISBN 978-0-670-01860-4. Retrieved 13 March 2017. Suffice to say that there has not been a huge swing away from the center since the 1970s.
^ N. Scott, Arnold (April 7, 2011). Imposing Values: Liberalism and Regulation. Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-19-970529-0. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
"Modern liberalism occupies the left-of-center in the traditional political spectrum and is represented by the Democratic Party in the United States".
^ Starr, Paul (2012). "Center-Left Liberalism". The Oxford Companion to American Politics. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
^ Mariana Sotomayor (August 8, 2023). "Dwindling Blue Dog Democrats look to stage a comeback for moderates in Congress". Washington Post.
^ Hanna, Andrew; Gee, Taylor (October 1, 2017). "Could America's Socialists Become the Tea Party of the Left?". Politico. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
^ Larry E. Sullivan. The SAGE glossary of the social and behavioral sciences (2009) p 291, "This liberalism favors a generous welfare state and a greater measure of social and economic equality. Liberty thus exists when all citizens have access to basic necessities such as education, health care, and economic opportunities."
^ John McGowan, American Liberalism: An Interpretation for Our Time (2007)
^ Starr Paul. (March 1, 2007). "War and Liberalism." The New Republic."Starr, Paul (2007-03-05). "War and Liberalism". The New Republic. Archived from the original on 2007-03-13. Retrieved August 2, 2007. "Liberalism wagers that a state ... can be strong but constrained – strong because constrained. ... Rights to education and other requirements for human development and security aim to advance the opportunity and personal dignity of minorities and to promote a creative and productive society. To guarantee those rights, Democrats support a wider social and economic role for the state, counterbalanced by more robust guarantees of civil liberties and a wider social system of checks and balances anchored in an independent press and pluralistic society."
^ Hugo Helco, in The Great Society and the High Tide of Liberalism, "In (the 1970s) the American government began telling Americans what they could and could not do with regard to abortions, capital punishment, and bilingual education. The 1970s also brought new and more sweeping national regulations to deal with environmental challenges, consumer protection, workplace safety, gender discrimination, the rights of those with disabilities, and political spending.", p. 58, Sidney M. Milkis & Jerome M. Mileur, editors, University of Massachusetts Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-55849-493-0
^ "2016 DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM" (PDF). Democratic Party. July 9, 2016.
^ "Party Platform – Democrats".
^ ^a ^b "2020 Democratic Party Platform | The American Presidency Project". The American Presidency Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. August 17, 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
^ Cite error: The named reference thinkprogress20170428 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[1] Ball, Molly (7 February 2014). "No, Liberals Don't Control the Democratic Party". The Atlantic. Retrieved 13 March 2017.

[2] Cirilli, Kevin (2 March 2015). "Centrist Dems ready strike against Warren wing". The Hill. Retrieved 13 March 2017.

[gaudiano-3] Gaudiano, Nicole (2016-11-09). "Liberals seek 'ideological shift' in the Democratic Party". USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Retrieved 13 March 2017.

[4] Alterman, Eric (2008). Why We're Liberals: A Political Handbook for Post-Bush America. Penguin. p. 339. ISBN 978-0-670-01860-4. Retrieved 13 March 2017. Suffice to say that there has not been a huge swing away from the center since the 1970s.

[5] N. Scott, Arnold (April 7, 2011). Imposing Values: Liberalism and Regulation. Oxford University Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-19-970529-0. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
"Modern liberalism occupies the left-of-center in the traditional political spectrum and is represented by the Democratic Party in the United States".

[starr2012-6] Starr, Paul (2012). "Center-Left Liberalism". The Oxford Companion to American Politics. Retrieved 13 March 2017.

[7] Mariana Sotomayor (August 8, 2023). "Dwindling Blue Dog Democrats look to stage a comeback for moderates in Congress". Washington Post.

[Could_America's_Socialists_Become_the_Tea_Party_of_the_Left?-8] Hanna, Andrew; Gee, Taylor (October 1, 2017). "Could America's Socialists Become the Tea Party of the Left?". Politico. Retrieved November 21, 2017.

[Larry_E._Sullivan_2009_p_291-9] Larry E. Sullivan. The SAGE glossary of the social and behavioral sciences (2009) p 291, "This liberalism favors a generous welfare state and a greater measure of social and economic equality. Liberty thus exists when all citizens have access to basic necessities such as education, health care, and economic opportunities."

[McGowan-10] John McGowan, American Liberalism: An Interpretation for Our Time (2007)

[Starr-11] Starr Paul. (March 1, 2007). "War and Liberalism." The New Republic."Starr, Paul (2007-03-05). "War and Liberalism". The New Republic. Archived from the original on 2007-03-13. Retrieved August 2, 2007. "Liberalism wagers that a state ... can be strong but constrained – strong because constrained. ... Rights to education and other requirements for human development and security aim to advance the opportunity and personal dignity of minorities and to promote a creative and productive society. To guarantee those rights, Democrats support a wider social and economic role for the state, counterbalanced by more robust guarantees of civil liberties and a wider social system of checks and balances anchored in an independent press and pluralistic society."

[12] Hugo Helco, in The Great Society and the High Tide of Liberalism, "In (the 1970s) the American government began telling Americans what they could and could not do with regard to abortions, capital punishment, and bilingual education. The 1970s also brought new and more sweeping national regulations to deal with environmental challenges, consumer protection, workplace safety, gender discrimination, the rights of those with disabilities, and political spending.", p. 58, Sidney M. Milkis & Jerome M. Mileur, editors, University of Massachusetts Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-55849-493-0

[13] "2016 DEMOCRATIC PARTY PLATFORM" (PDF). Democratic Party. July 9, 2016.

[THE_2020_DEMOCRATIC_PLATFORM-14] "Party Platform – Democrats".

[:0-15] "2020 Democratic Party Platform | The American Presidency Project". The American Presidency Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. August 17, 2020. Retrieved 2023-07-11.

[thinkprogress20170428-16] Cite error: The named reference thinkprogress20170428 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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