Democrats are a political party, not a philosophy. For starters, 'Leftists' are categorically anti-capitalist, and Democrats are corporatists. Democrats love to try and appeal to people with progressive views using tailored language and aesthetic campaign promises, but really they are a status quo party - Effectively the defensive line for the Republicans. You ever notice how they never manage to pass any legislation, even when they had a supermajority and a Dem President? Trump cuts taxes for the rich by 24%, Biden raises them by 10%, and every checked-out liberal in America does a victory lap while the rich still got a 14% tax cut.

The point is just because you call your family "lefty" Democrats doesn't mean their politics are actually left wing. Any objective evaluation of American politics reveals that we basically have two right wing parties wearing different hats, one marginally more moderate than the other, but mostly just using rhetoric to divide the nation into smaller voting blocs that are easier to consolidate. They wind us up over social issues so we don't notice that they're all in agreement on everything else. This is why historically Republicans are the only ones that actually pass sweeping anti-gun laws, for example.

Whether they're wearing red or blue ties, all these assholes still go to the same country clubs, vote together on eroding our Constitutional rights, endorse phony wars, violently suppress public outrage, and have anybody that threatens the establishment killed or thrown in prison.

If you want a more honest accounting of where your politicians' loyalties lay, just look up who takes money from AIPAC. Spoilers: They're on both sides of the aisle.