Huh. Have they even done that since 2004? 
Not if you live in Britain it’s not.
If Scotland goes independent, Britain as a political entity should be wound up and a different kind of Union put in place.
It would be a good way in which to bury our past and create something new out of the ashes of the old (Like an English Republic)
But I’m still very Unionist, however this is what I would be interested in developing if the worst case scenario came about.
There’s zero chance that the end of the British Union would mean the end of the monarchy. It’s highly likely that Scotland will retain the Queen as its Head of State.
I’m not stating that as something that will happen, but as a desire.
I part company with some of the previous rejoinders, but I still disagree. Can you name any democracy that has persisted for more than 10 years without a left/right split, at least within the past 100 years? A reinvigorated right wing is inevitable. Furthermore, Scottish lefties have Scottish nationalism on their side now. Take that away, and re-alignment should also be expected. These observations are almost objective facts (though admittedly not quite).
Yes. While I argue that a right of center insurgence is inevitable the precise form that it will take is more difficult to discern. Conceivably it could be benign (though it is unlikely to be seen that way by the opposition).
After all, Thatcher’s Britain was well to the left of Carter’s America or even Obama’s America. AFAIK, the only Tea Partyish policy of hers that I’m aware of was the poll tax. That’s it.
Again though, if Scotland was the communal cooperative that Pjen seems to argue, they would have voted themselves substantially higher taxes already. I say that if you want to build progressive institutions, then build progressive institutions. Another military, another currency and another set of postage stamps don’t qualify. Substantively, almost all progressive institutions can be constructed under a Devo framework - you don’t even need Devo max.
So increment taxes (any taxes) by a percentage point and devote the proceeds to Scottish Awesome. No true Scotsman could oppose such a plan. [sup]1[/sup]
[sup]1[/sup]
I rated tonight’s debate as a win for Salmond.
How about breaking the power of the trades unions?
Incidentally, do you seriously think Obama is to the left of Carter? :dubious:
Yeah, I was a bit puzzled by that one too. I’m assuming that he’s using ACA as the sole measure of leftness.
Yes, insofar as the Presidency is concerned: Obama secured national health insurance, financial reform and a stimulus package that prevented another Great Depression. All this in the face of the greatest obstruction by the opposition party in US history. In contrast, Carter deregulated the airlines and trucking industry and appointed the Fed chair with the greatest anti-inflation record in US history.
Zalwake: Yes, the ACA alone is sufficient to establish Obama’s cred.
As for trade unions, they were far stronger under Thatcher than they were under Carter. The trick is that you are looking at changes in ideology, whereas I’m comparing levels. Both are valid comparisons, but insofar as policy is concerned I think levels are the proper metric.
One thing I have noticed on my social media account(Facebook) is the dominance of Yes supporters. They really do shout their views from the rooftops. It’s no exagerration to say Yes posts outnumber No posts by about 10 - 1 on my update feed. I have no idea the effect this will have on the momentum of the campaigns, but social media seems to be benefitting the Yes campaign more than the No campaign.
It was shown in the US too, on CSPAN, the government-wonks channel. I have to say Salmond appeared to be much more effective at the emotion-rousing, handwaving stuff (as well as the interrupting and overtalking, something we have much less tolerance for here). Darling had most of the facts and logic going for him, though, ISTM. No, Salmond did not have an answer for the currency question, and by interrupting and overtalking was able to avoid the question of how Scotland would control its own finances by using the pound, with or without a currency union, or the Euro. How he gets credit for answering the question mystifies me. I had the same response to the questions about oil revenues (and their eventual disappearance) and the economic losses that would come with removal of UK defense installations - just more handwaving and appeals to national pride. I was also disappointed, as a good-government democrat, to hear him constantly conflate Westminster in general with Tory Party policies - would Yes even have a chance with a Labour government in power there? Salmond might as well have painted his face blue for the occasion.
Yes, none of my business, but I do enjoy campaigning, anywhere, as a spectator sport.
Macca, Judi, Mick and other prominent non-Scots urge a “no” vote: http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/30/world/europe/uk-scotland-independence-mccartney/index.html?hpt=hp_t2
That article inspires a question on voter eligibility. It states that Scots living outside Scotland cannot vote. Am I correct in assuming that any UK citizen living in Scotland can vote in the referendum?
Full details of voter eligibility are here. You must be registered.
It is more ‘comfortable’ to be an out YES supporter than a NO. This might normally suggest a hidden NO vote, but there is a feeling that there is a community on which being a YES voter needs to be kept quiet - Central Belt Labour voters, especially women. It is suggested it was this constituency that turned a double digit Labour lead in 2011 into an SNP victory- old tribalism die hard.
My Mother is more than a little annoyed that she doesn’t get a say despite her going to be automatically assumed to be a Scottish Citizen.
http://www.yesscotland.net/answers/who-will-be-eligible-scottish-citizenship-independence-and-future
I can kind of see her point. The cynic in me thinks that the only reason is because Scotland-born British Citizens living outside of Scotland would be more likely to vote against independence.
There’s a 15-year rule for UK expats voting in UK General Elections, I do wonder why something similar wasn’t attempted for expat Scots.
The Welsh are watching the vote with some interest, too: As Scots Weigh Independence, Wales Takes Note - The New York Times