Am I correct in my assumption

[peakhillfm]

In political circles am I correct is stating that the ALP is on par with the Democrats and the Libs with Republicans.
If this is the case then god help the US if Mitt Romney is given the Presidency in November,this would be like handing Australia to Tony Rabbitt....god bear the thought..................

[MrModerate]

1. The comparison is mostly true, except . . .

That Labor has more center-right beliefs (particularly in social policy) and is farther left in industrial/labor policy than the Dems, while the Liberals are not frakkin' nuts, unlike the Republicans.

I've found Australians as a whole are more lowercase-c-conservative, in general (e.g., relationships between the sexes, the significance of public shame, obligations of the individual to the community and so on), except in those areas where they are traditionally lowercase-l-liberal (again, labor policy, the responsibility of the government to the citizen, gay rights, the proper place for religion in society, and generally "live and let live.&quot

Abbot, however, is even more odious than Romney, but less of a liar.

[gemini_liberal]

2. Really, the parallel is

Most of the ALP would be inclined towards the Democratic Party

The hard Left of the Labor Party may be more inclined towards a left wing 3rd party.

Coalition moderates would also be inclined towards the Democrats. However, the right wing Libs/Nats are more closer to the GOP and, indeed, do align themselves so.

Australians who pay even trivial attention to US politics tend to prefer the Democratic Party (I think it's high 50s and, in the peak of the Bush years it was much higher.)

[SESKATOW]

3. i thought ALP stood for Alternative Liberal Party

thats so true!!