Democrats present election platform

Democrats unveiled a party platform at their national convention that echoes President Barack Obama’s call for higher taxes on wealthier Americans while backing same-sex marriage and abortion rights.

Delegates will vote to adopt the platform that reflects the president’s argument that his work is unfinished and he deserves another four years to complete the job.

“Today, our economy is growing again, al Qaida is weaker than at any point since 9/11, and our manufacturing sector is growing for the first time in more than a decade. But there is more we need to do, and so we come together again to continue what we started,” the platform said.

The document is a sharp contrast from the policy statement that the Republican Party adopted at its convention last week.

The Republican plan would ban abortion and gay marriage, repeal Mr Obama’s health care overhaul law and shift Medicare, the government health care programme for the elderly, into a voucher-style programme.

Democrats acknowledged those divergent views.

“This election is not simply a choice between two candidates or two political parties, but between two fundamentally different paths for our country and our families,” the Democrats said.