Democrats tend to take a more liberal stand on important issues. They believe that the federal government should take a more active role in people's lives, particularly those who are in need.
Today, the House Democratic caucus is composed mostly of centrists and progressives, with a smaller minority of conservative Democrats. The party's philosophy of modern liberalism advocates social and economic equality, along with the welfare state.
Later, famed cartoonist Thomas Nast used the donkey in his newspaper cartoons, helping to establish it as the symbol of the Democratic Party. And it was Nast who provided the Republicans with their elephant. ... In an 1874 cartoon, Nast drew a donkey clothed in a lion's skin - scaring off the other animals at the zoo.Aug 26, 2012
The origins of the Democratic donkey can be traced to the 1828 presidential campaign of Andrew Jackson. During that race, opponents of Jackson called him a jackass. ... In the 1870s, influential political cartoonist Thomas Nast helped popularize the donkey as a symbol for the entire Democratic Party.Jul 7, 2015