The average democrat has high ideals, and are genuinely concerned about economic equality. (something that can never actually happen without a totalitarian state, and when there is a totalitarian state, those in power grab all the wealth any way.)
The democratic party is a different matter. The democratic party is about political power. To maintain political power, they need a dependable voting base. I have explained this in other threads about the welfare system. Assistance programs are a deliberately designed trap, giving just enough so the recipients have a standard of living above what they would have starting out on their own. That is the rub - it is above what they would have STARTING OUT on their own. But instead of starting out low and, through effort and determination, slowly but surely climbing the economic ladder, they become mired in the assistance programs, unable to move upward because the way the system is design, when they help themselves they lose more in benefits than they gain in self reliance. So they, naturally, take the route that gives them the best return: which is to stay on assistance. The democratic party knows this, and deliberately keeps it that way. It is not aimed, specifically, at minorities, but it ends up hitting minorities harder because they are more likely to qualify.
There are, however, programs which ARE aimed at minorities. These programs are, again, specifically designed to gather a voting base while in actuality doing little to address the problems which they are advertised. Laws which prohibit racism or gender bias are good laws. Programs which require preferential treatment of minorities are no better than the old laws which allowed preferential treatment of whites.
But the democratic party is successful because they advertise their programs as helping the poor and minorities. People vote democratic because that is where the helping programs are initiated. Most people of all economic status vote for short term gains becauase long term gains are amorphous and not guaranteed. So the poor vote for better assistance, even while realizing better assistance remains an economic trap. Minorities vote for the short term "equalization" programs, even while realizing they do little good. Because the APPEARANCE of doing something, even if ineffectual, makes for a better feeling than "doing nothing" the republican party is famous for.
(Aside to BAC:
In case you haven't noticed, the next POTUS is going to be a black democrat .. something completely impossible as a republican.
That is an absolute, outright lie, and you know it. If Colin Powell were to run he'd have the republican nomination in a heartbeat. AND, he would gather a HUGE block of independent voters right out of the gate. Just because Powell won't run does not mean it is not possible for a black to run for President under the republican ticket.
Additionally, for all of Bush's many faults, his administration has put more blacks in high positions than any 5 previous administrations you care to name combined.
The republican party may have a (well deserved?) reputation for taking a "do nothing" policy on issues of the poor and minorities, but any accusation that a minority belonging to the republican party is under a glass ceiling is a flat lie.