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The Way Forward 39

Posted on November 17, 2024 by

As a lifelong political geek and former SNP and Alba Party member, I’ve spent years supporting Scotland’s independence movement. However, over the last few years, I’ve watched the campaign (as opposed to support for independence) wither away. Being a Scottish nationalist has become increasingly disheartening, like watching someone you love succumb to a slow, debilitating illness. In frustration, I switched off from my homeland and turned my focus to the drama of US politics.

Over the last three years I immersed myself in it, watching both left and right-wing outlets. I became so hooked and invested that I jumped on a plane to Washington DC for the 2024 election. I canvassed with DC Democrats in rural Pennsylvania (that’s me third from the left in the pic below), attended Kamala Harris’s concession rally, and went to Trump’s only watch party in DC.

My journey led me to believe that Scotland’s independence campaign could learn a great deal from Trump’s victory and the Democrats’ failure. Read the rest of this entry →

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Category analysis, comment, scottish politics, transcult, world

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  • Recent Comments

    • moixx on The Way Forward: ““Most people support equal rights for trans people…” – what does that even mean?” Nov 17, 16:59
    • mike cassidy on The Way Forward: “So without that 2.7 swing Kamala Harris would be President-elect by the same margin that Trump is So sweeping statements…” Nov 17, 16:13
    • Aidan on The Way Forward: ““The UN shouldn’t allow this” – why don’t you give them a call and see if they’ll come round and…” Nov 17, 16:05
    • panda paws on The Way Forward: ““But the reality is Scotland receives a disproportionately small fraction of the immigration of the UK.” But it receives a…” Nov 17, 16:00
    • Ian Chisholm on The Way Forward: “Don’t You think the biggest racist by far are the colonialists English.? Is it not much more racist to hold…” Nov 17, 15:52
    • Southernbystander on The Way Forward: “The picture above shows him holding a Harris / Walz placard (third from left, as stated). That is not just…” Nov 17, 15:32
    • Skip_NC on The Way Forward: “That is what I thought. Now that Trump’s nominees for Cabinet and other positions requiring Senate confirmation are pretty much…” Nov 17, 15:15
    • Young Lochinvar on The Way Forward: “Insightful article. As opposed to mimicking 10 year old American trends like a cargo culture the SNP should have taken…” Nov 17, 14:58
    • John C on The Way Forward: “Also, the Dems using the term ‘Latinx’ lost them their traditional base and sent Latino voters to Trump. The Dems…” Nov 17, 14:51
    • John C on The Way Forward: “A lot of what the Dems did wrong mirrored what Corbyn did wrong in 2019. They didn’t engage voters outwith…” Nov 17, 14:47
    • Robert Hughes on The Way Forward: “Of the issues Steve correctly identifies as toxic for the Harris campaign ( which will be the same for SNP…” Nov 17, 14:44
    • Ian Brotherhood on The Way Forward: “That can safely be filed under ‘Things That Didn’t Happen’. If it *had* happened the BBC would’ve had it on…” Nov 17, 14:39
    • Hatey McHateface on The Way Forward: “I’m looking forwards to building a “broad-based coalition” on Wings BTL. Indy support is flatlined at 45%, so Indy needs…” Nov 17, 14:36
    • Graf Midgehunter on The Way Forward: “Sorry, but the reasons on the contrary are very obvious and felt by the whole population of Scotland. Remember the…” Nov 17, 14:33
    • Hatey McHateface on The Way Forward: “You need to get out more, James. I see billboards everywhere. The law says you need planning permission to erect…” Nov 17, 14:28
    • Aidan on The Way Forward: “Such is the state of the SNP that their woke faction would rather lose than give an inch of ground…” Nov 17, 14:24
    • Royston Rickard on The Way Forward: “Canvassing and campaigning are different things.” Nov 17, 14:22
    • Liz on The Way Forward: “2014 not 2024” Nov 17, 14:20
    • Geoff Anderson on The Way Forward: “on a 25% turnout and a few hundred votes…..a fraction higher than Reform” Nov 17, 14:18
    • Liz on The Way Forward: “Don’t believe a word of that. I was out and about like many in 2024, the only aggression came from…” Nov 17, 14:18
    • Liz on The Way Forward: “Tbh I think most of us know what should be done. But the current SNP are incapable of doing what…” Nov 17, 14:16
    • Geoff Anderson on The Way Forward: “The Indy Movement has a major problem due to the D’Hondt system and the SNP voters. Holyrood will have a…” Nov 17, 14:15
    • Den on The Way Forward: “We have far less floating voters in this country most are entrenched in historical political past and to many people…” Nov 17, 14:13
    • James on The Way Forward: “Interesting article, Steve. But of course the good ‘ol USA isn’t Scotland (thankfully), one glaring difference being control of the…” Nov 17, 14:04
    • Campbell Clansman on The Way Forward: “You’re 100% wrong again, “James.” I’ve never voted Conservative/Tory. As I’ve posted before. BTW, shouldn’t you care more about the…” Nov 17, 13:53
    • Robert Hughes on The Way Forward: “I had the exact same thought ; though , he does say he canvassed WITH the Dems , not FOR…” Nov 17, 13:43
    • Cath on The Way Forward: “The last sentence presumes the SNP are going to try for independence.” Nov 17, 13:42
    • Eddie Munster on The Way Forward: “Very truthfully spoken and an excellent observation based in fact. Trump didn’t need to win, he just needed the Democrats…” Nov 17, 13:42
    • Al Harron on The Way Forward: “Alba got 8.7% in Inverclyde West.” Nov 17, 13:42
    • Ian Brotherhood on The Way Forward: “If Alba is such an insignificant microbe, why do you keep going on about it?” Nov 17, 13:41

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