What does the Democratic Party stand for in this presidential election year?

We asked readers a similar question about the Republican Party last week, when the GOP held its national convention and nominated Donald Trump, the New York billionaire, for president. Now it's the Democrats' turn, as party leaders and activists gather in Philadelphia to nominate Hillary Clinton, the former first lady, U.S. senator from New York and secretary of state.

Democrats expect to have an easier time than Republicans have had in achieving unity on the issues going into the general election campaign.

Still, the longer-than-expected primary season battle between Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont did expose divisions between the Democratic Party's more moderate and more progressive factions, and between older and younger voters.

Sen. Sanders' popularity with young and progressive Democrats prompted Mrs. Clinton to shift to the left on some issues, and the party's platform reflects its most progressive stances ever on the minimum wage, health care, college costs, the death penalty, anti-climate-change measures and marijuana legalization.

What has the Democratic Party stood for historically, considering the candidates it has nominated and the platforms it has promoted in recent decades?

How has the party changed from say, the era of presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson? Is it different from the days of President Bill Clinton? Is it different from eight years ago when Barack Obama first ran for president?

Is Hillary Clinton, who has been on the national scene for a quarter-century and contended for the Democratic nomination in 2008, still a good spokesperson for the party's principles?

Is the Democratic Party moving closer to, or farther from, your principles?

REPRINTED FROM THE ORANGE COUNTY REFISTER

Photo credit: Quinn Dombrowski