Democrats kick off convention as a more progressive party

Washington

DEMOCRATS flooding into Philadelphia this week for their 2016 convention will be ratifying a series of leftward policy shifts adopted by presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton amid prodding from democratic-socialist Senator Bernie Sanders, making them a more progressive party than they've been in generations.

The party, which had shifted to the centre during the 1990s, is reinventing itself once again as it seeks to hold on to the presidency in a country that's becoming younger, more ethnically diverse, less religious and more liberal on a variety of issues.

Mrs Clinton, running as the natural heir to President Barack Obama, is campaigning on a promise to fortify and expand upon his accomplishments, which include the most sweeping overhaul of healthcare…