[QUOTE=fatshaft;38262939]OK, seriously, they've disregarded the referendum result? How? Did I miss the declaration of independence?[/
The result of the referendum didn't suit them, they are ignoring the will of the majority and are determined to have another. No one suggested a Declaration of Independence had been made so you missed nothing.
Buc, I read this as a strong argument for the Union and the Barnett formula. Scotland has never had it so good, so what is the motivation to change the status quo?
My biggest concern if Scotland goes it alone is how will the fantastic social system we currently have be maintained?
The oil industry has been a big source of employment and tax income for decades, but is in the worst recession since the 1980's. The North Sea may never return to it's pre-2014 levels of activity, or if it does it may take many years. Yet I see no examples of diversification attempts from the Scottish or British Parliaments. Aberdeen has a lot of skilled workers currently unemployed, but what is being done to attract new industry to the city to offer alternative major employment? Look at Houston, they suffered the same recession in the 1980's, but reacted by diversifying. The city, despite being a major oil city, is not reliant solely on the oil industry. Houston diversified and has major medical, pharmaceutical and construction industries. Don't get me wrong, Houston has been badly impacted by the oil downturn, it would be foolish to imply otherwise. But it has not been as crippling as the recession impact on Aberdeen.
Before any independence vote, I would like the SNP to explain how they will manage the economy and funding of the social system? This is something they failed miserably at before the last vote, basing their numbers on unsustainable oil prices. Will we even have a social system that resembles the one we have today in an independent Scotland?
The decision has been made. You are saying a large majority want another vote, I can't prove or disprove what you say although I do believe that the SNP would have already made definite moves if they were so certain. What would happen if we voted to separate tomorrow then two years down the line the majority thought, hold on, we have made a mistake let's have another vote to rejoin the UK, then maybe another two years on, wait a minute, we were better off on our own let's have another vote.
Buc thinks separation may come in ten years time (going by his queen nic comment) that may be the case, but at least a decent amount of time will have lapsed between the two votes.
The SNP must for the stability of the country put their obsession aside and to concentrate on what they were elected to do, put all their efforts into managing the country. Sadly I doubt that will happen as all else is secondary to their one political aim.
That figure wouldn't surprise me as 45% of the votes cast were in favour of separation. I believe Salmond said at the time that should be it for a generation. People will always find an argument to have another vote, that was the point I was trying to make in my previous post, the losers will always want to have a bash at getting the result reversed.
The SNP government called for a referendum, we had it, they lost, move on.
The circumstances since the last vote have changed a fair bit. There's probably a significant amount of No voters who didn't get what they voted for either.