Well, hellloooo Uncle Jacques.
I'll put a name to my post now. Thank you to everyone who responded to my post. You've been (for the most part) articulate and polite. To those of you who couldn't resist the cheap shot ("...What a stupid question... blah blah... American... blah blah...") I offer my pity.
I'd like to address the people who scoffed at the conservationist tendencies that I referenced. First, do you ever discuss this with conservatives? Do you REALLY think they would like to see all natural resources used up, sullied, plundered, mutated/mutilated, etc? Conservatism, I would posit, is based on the conservation of that which is good in humanity and the world at large. "Omnia probate quod bonum est tenete" to those of you for whom "Si Hoc Legere Scis Nimium Eruditionis Habes" holds meaning. For those of you who are now mocking me mercilessly, try everything and keep that which is good- to paraphrase loosely. We have a responsibility as humans not to turn a blind eye to history but to weigh what we have learned against the circumstances in which we find ourselves currently. I think Conservatives do a better job of this than do liberals.
As for Folk music being socialist intrinsically. I can't buy that. Does that mean that only Socialists can compose on the dobro? Nah. I would believe it if you told me that most folk musicians you know are decidedly not Conservative... but I do hold out hope.
Break out the G.K. Chesterton and keep the discussion going. I'm enjoying this!