美國民主黨的政治綱領基本以美式自由主義為基礎，這與共和黨的保守主義形成鮮明對比。該黨黨內有較大的中間派[1][2][3][4]和進步派[5][6]，以及相對較小的保守派和社會主義派[7]。
民主黨的政綱尋求推動社會福利、工會、消費者保護、工作場所安全監管、機會平等、殘障人士權利、種族平等、防止環境污染立法及刑事司法改革等。[8][9][10][11][12] 民主黨傾向於支持墮胎權、LGBT平權及為非法移民提供獲取公民身份的渠道；同時民主黨人通常同意關於氣候變化的科學觀點並在外交事務採取多邊主義。
平等的就業機會、強健的社會安全網及強大的工會歷來都是民主黨經濟政策的核心。[8] 該黨支持混合經濟[13]並普遍贊同累進稅制、更高最低工資、社會安全保險、全民醫保、公共教育和公營住宅[8]。它還支持基礎設施發展和清潔能源投資以促進經濟發展和就業成長。[14] 而自1990年代開始，民主黨也會偶爾支持中間派的削減政府規模和減少市場監管的經濟改革。[15]
民主黨更加支持累進稅率，通過確保美國最富裕的人群支付最高的稅率來提供更多的服務和減少經濟不平等。[16] 他們還支持增加政府支出以提高社會服務開銷，同時減少軍事支出。[17] 他們反對削減社會服務支出，例如社會安全保險、醫療保險、醫療補助等，他們認為這會損害效率和社會正義。
N. Scott Arnold. Imposing Values: Liberalism and Regulation 2nd Edition. 牛津大學出版社. 2009: 3. ISBN 9780199705290 （英語）. Modern liberalism occupies the left-of-center in the traditional political spectrum and is represented by the Democratic Party in the United States
Paul Starr. War and Liberalism; Why power is not the enemy of freedom.. The New Republic. 2007-03-05 [2022-09-21]. （原始內容存檔於2020-12-02） （英語）. 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. Sidney M. Milkis; Jerome M. Mileur , 編. The Great Society and the High Tide of Liberalism. 馬薩諸塞大學出版社. 2005: 58. ISBN 9781558494947 （英語）. 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.
Jonah D. Levy (編). The State After Statism: New State Activities in the Age of Liberalization. 劍橋: 哈佛大學出版社. 2006: 198. ISBN 9780674022775 （英語）. In the corporate governance area, the center-left repositioned itself to press for reform. The Democratic Party in the United States used the postbubble scandals and the collapse of share prices to attack the Republican Party ... Corporate governance reform fit surprisingly well within the contours of the center-left ideology. The Democratic Party and the SPD have both been committed to the development of the regulatory state as a counterweight to managerial authority, corporate power, and market failure.
