I have enough self control to not make an ass out of myself.
Really, LB?
IMHO, I think you've historically done a bang-up job of doing just that!
....but, that's not why I called :stunned:
I read your original post in this thread before there was even one response, but I wasn't sure I could answer...but want to give it a try now.
I don't see classic-car ownership as a liberal vs. conservative issue at all. Most of my car-crazy friends when I was young were dirt poor just like me, we sat around and drooled at the Hot Rod magazines just like the son of the owner of the only bank in the county did....there was never any thought of political idealogy in any of our minds, just a developing idea of the vision we each separately held of the "holy grail" of our car-focused religion, so to speak.
The 45+ ensuing years haven't changed any of us much...I was fortunate enough to be at the family home for the "class reunion" of my high school class...every year those of us (there were 13 of us altogether) who can make it get together for dinner in a small cafe and because of education, profession, and family I had not seen any of them since 1967. Six of us made it, four were male...so it did not take long for the discussion to turn to the fun we had with our cars back in the 60's and 70's.
Despite the differences between us regarding our failures and successes in the ensuing years, we were one in our enduring appreciation of fine automobiles, and when I pulled out the cell phone and showed my best friend from high school a photo of my Cobra he simply said "I'm not surprised".
Now, I can tell you that there is not a more conservative region in the U.S. than Southwest Kansas....I bet there isn't a registered Democrat in the 4 counties that surround my home...well, maybe there is, but I haven't ever met him (or her?). Obamma-care took a beating in that discussion, me standing up to them and supporting the need for some sort of "forced" responsibility, them fiercely supporting their preference for the choice to be theirs and not the government's, but we were all congenial in our discussions.
The thing that sets liberals apart from conservatives, IMHO, relates to the focus that each has on the individual vs. society. During those discussions I stated that I would not mind having to put cats on my Cobra if that were a requirement...especially if that area were suffering from air pollution that left the general society under health risk. Likewise, I would not respond negatively if there were a per-year mileage limit initiated, resulting in not being able to drive my Cobra as much as I do now. I do not view those sorts of limitations as a personal affront so much as an effort to ensure the health and well-being of the general population, whereas each of the more conservative members was adamant that they viewed such actions as an attack on their personal liberties. It might be a bad example, I assure you, because that area of KS has such clear air that there will never be a need for such legislation, but the orientation of the two opposing political idealogies was never more evident or clear.
Liberals seem to be more interested in the well-being of our society as a whole, whereas the conservatives seem to be more interested in their own individual well-being, to hell with everyone else. Some phrased it in terms of "freedom"...we all agreed freedom is a good thing, but "freedom from" and "freedom to" can bear very different appearances to this still dirt-poor old educator.
That's my observation.....be it flawed or not, be it correct or not, it does seem that way to me. It is never more evident than in our current political atmosphere, where the liberal candidate for POTUS seems to be genuinely concerned for the welfare and survival of the middle class, and where the conservative candidate seems to be unconcerned for the welfare and survival of anyone except the wealthy (gee, surprise there, no? Who would have thought that someone who had already made incredible personal wealth at a huge cost to the middle class working stiff would think he needed to care for them...a no-brainer, there :idea: )
Fire away, LB, I've just taken the time to respond honestly...have at it.
Doug