boaby
Posts: 2786
Joined: 29/12/2006 From: Aberdeenshire
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Yes Scotland can survive economically. Even the BBC say so. Greece? Why not NORWAY? Or DISTOPIA? Or TPLEC (Tin Pot Little European Country)? What voters of the world need to go around screaming is "REGULATION", "PAY YOUR TAXES", "PUBLIC SPENDING DID NOT CAUSE THE FINANCIAL CRASH", "EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY"... "But it can't not be." Can't not be what? About Salmond? Salmond is a man, a man who is far from certain to be in government in the immediate future of an independent Scotland that would be independent for the lifetime of a man with a suped up DeLorean. There are socialists, Christian democrats, liberals, light-touch Tories, apoliticians, pro-European, isolationist... all manner of folk supporting an independent Scotland. As far as I can see, and I've only heard the word occasionally in the debate, the idea would be to have a written "constitution". Agreeing on one of those, diverse as the nation is, will be nigh on impossible unless the foundation of it is a few - probably abstract - "universal truths". The governance of the country in the centuries following would seem as uncertain as in any country. Did any of us imagine in '97 that we'd be here? Not just in terms of devolution but in UK politics. This will be a vote to create a state to be governed, not perennial nature of its government. Affording benefits, health services, "free" education etc seems to me to be dependent on tax revenue (added to possibly the interest earned on any Noggy style oil/energy trust fund). That seems to me dependent on governance rather than anything else. As for the EU... no doubt it needs clarified. Barroso says Scotland would have to apply, not that Scotland would be denied he has also said that a "solution would have to found" in the hypothetical event of a "region" seceding from a member state. A Brussels spokesman suggested Catalonia wouldn't have to apply if it seceded from Spain - presumably before Spain denied the Catalans a vote on their independence. Academics have said that the EU would support Scottish membership. Is there a huge difference between automatic membership and an accepted application? Is Euro membership demanded or is it merely an agreement to join the Euro upon the meeting of criteria? One of these criteria Sweden have simply refused to pass - that of joining the ERM. Could Scotland do the same? Like I said, clarity is needed. NATO... tricky. Not sure the SNP's position is coherent. Not sure "Yes Scotland" has one. I feel the UK's position on nuclear weapons is bonkers. Tendency on both sides to pass off argument and opinion as fact.
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"Aberdonians, and with some degree of purpose and right on their side, have absolute contempt for Glasgow. There is a side of Aberdonians who, let's be absolutely honest about this, feel so superior to Glasgow that you can measure it by the yard."
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