The next pages of the script
It’s morning in America, readers.
Judge Dredd: Origins was published in 2007, although in fact the basic story of how Bad Bob Booth became the last President of the USA and what he did next was established right back at the 1970s beginnings of Dredd’s parent comic 2000AD.
We actually have a theory that it’s all the Lib Dems’ fault.
The British public has been increasingly disillusioned with politics for a long time. Nine million people walked away from voting in the decade from 1992 to 2001, and most of them have never come back. The toxic duopoly of Labour and the Conservatives guaranteed by the First Past The Post voting system has left a large percentage of the population without a party it can vote for with any hope of achieving anything.
Ever since the arrival of the SDP in 1981, the only chance of creating real change was to have a strong middle party which couldn’t actually win an election and form a government, but could hold the balance of power in a hung parliament and make electoral reform in the shape of proportional representation a condition of its support.
Those circumstances finally arrived in 2010, and with everything they’d ever wanted within their grasp, the Liberal Democrats completely blew it. With ministerial posts and privileges dangled in front of them by a dangerously weak Conservative Party, the Lib Dems caved and abandoned what for many was the main goal of their existence – PR – and settled for a referendum on what their leader Nick Clegg called the “miserable little compromise” of AV, which was resoundingly defeated.
Disillusioned voters abandoned the Lib Dems en masse after the five-year coalition with the Tories that followed, and it’s our contention that along with Clegg’s party the electorate – quite rationally – abandoned all hope of change through middle-way means and started to look to extremists instead.
The Lib Dem implosion gifted the Tories a narrow majority, which they’d won in part by buying off UKIP voters with the promise of an EU referendum, and a public sick to the back teeth of all three parties delivered the result all three of them had opposed.
The Brexit vote fed into a wider mood across the northern hemisphere and, in our view, contributed to (along with much else) the election of Donald Trump as President of the USA. And that’s where we came in.
It’s just a theory, of course. Good luck, everyone.
Donald Trump never won the popular vote in the USA but is labelled “leader of the free world”.
How does that work?
Because US elections (like a great many other countries’ elections) aren’t decided by the popular vote. He got a much bigger share than the Tories did here, for example.
Rev. Stuart Campbell says at 3:18 pm
“Because US elections (like a great many other countries’ elections) aren’t decided by the popular vote.”
So what you’re saying Rev is when the MSM scream about Trump being the result of Populism they’re just bullshitting as usual then? 🙂
Amazing, I never knew Trump was First minister of Scotland, well according to the Mail online he was lol
link to twitter.com
Good theory.
But Lord, that’s not Carlos Ezquerra’s best work, is it?
Just got back in from building my shelter.
Sorted! 🙂
On the Libdems? Yes, they did cave at the first whiff of government office. UK gov and society hasn’t looked back since. Coincidence? Maybe, probably. Don’t honestly know.
I do know they aren’t fit for office now and likely not for a long time to come, if ever. I do know they let down a lot of people and I agree that without a middle ground in England, the voting public are driven to polar extremes.
Not good. Not good at all.
I’m just thankful that Scotland has the opportunity to choose a different way altogether.
Trump won the Presidency based on the Electoral College. Just like Labour did in 2015 the Democrats assumed their safe States were going to vote Democratic. Few resources were spent in Michigan and Wisconsin as they thought they in he bag. Nope they fell.
I was hoping that Trump’s win, and the nature in which it was won, just may make Americans think about the label “leader of the free world”.
Maybe I’m an optimist, or maybe I’m not part of the “free world”?
@Nana says: 20 January, 2017 at 3:23 pm:
“Amazing, I never knew Trump was First minister of Scotland, well according to the Mail online he was lol
link to twitter.com
That’s one for the scrapbook. Nana.
Well spotted.
Trump has slapped a boycott on Grants Glenlivet for giving an award to his golf course squatter. Does he know that Grant/Glenlivet backed the Bitter together Campaign to give all Scotch whisky revenues to Lnodon and not be counted in GERS?
I can almost hear Ruth the mooth broadcasting to the nation ;
“Yes, perhaps it might signify the end of civilisation as we know it, but what about getting on with the day job and ruling out independence for Scotland.”
At the time of Origins, I thought John Wagner was slyly retconning Bad Bob Booth as George Dubya, but it now looks like he was anticipating Der Trumpenfuhrer. Even the “hair” is the same.
(Cf: Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror: The Waldo Moment…)
@Murray McCallum says: 20 January, 2017 at 3:36 pm:
” … Maybe I’m an optimist, or maybe I’m not part of the “free world”?”
You are in good company for neither are a very large part of the USA’s population. Particularly the non-WASP parts.
WASP = “White Anglo-Saxon Protestant” – this is an informal, somewhat disrespectful, term for the closed social group of high-status, influential white US Americans of English Protestant ancestry.
Published on Grouse Beater midnight:
‘Being Terribly English is Terrible’
and
‘Trump Mistakes Cars for Illegal Immigrants’
[…] Wings Over Scotland The next pages of the script It’s morning in America, readers. Judge Dredd: Origins was published in 2006, […]
It is going to be a bumpy ride
@Macart
I have an Anderson shelter in the back garden but I think it will need modifying somewhat.
Trust Trump with the nuclear codes, oh my.
link to politico.com
@Murray McCallum. I’m kinda with you there. Where exactly in anything anywhere does it say that the USA has any kind of divined right to rule the world? In my opinion they should have the keys taken off them ar Oafter the Kosovo stitch-up.
I’m pretty much tuning out of the hysteria about Trump since everyone appears to be in full-on cognitive dissonance mode about that psychotic Auld bunt Killary and HER foreign policy.
In her own words; “Wow!”
Personally I reckon this is the most blatant and orchestrated case of Projection I’ve ever seen and coming from a Scottish politcs observer that’s saying something. Let me tell you about a small p
Wrap all obaervation I made last October; my work takes me around the rural areas of North Cumbria which is a regular training area for the RAF. It’s a regular occurrence to see RAF jets flying low in the area. Back in the Cold War you could see US jets too but since that time I’ve see the Septics on only two occasions. Until October. Right through October into early November just about every timeI was out there I saw or heard one of those big, ugly looking, ugly sounding F-15Es buzzing the place. One was close enough one day I’m pretty sure he must have spotted my raised middle finger aimed at him. Anyway, you’ll remember that during this time everybody was calling it for Killary and the Assad/RussiaBAD thing was cranked up to 11. I saw another on Election Day but next day nothing. And nothing other than RAF since. Don’t know why but I have my own theories.
I am disappointed with the posts here re. Trump. Like throwing stones from behind a wall and hiding. Typical Daily Mail certainly not for Wings.
People in England say they’ve got no faith in right wing newspapers and don’t believe what’s in them
So how come these same people believe the shit that’s printed about Scotland in these same shit newspapers
Is logic different in England?
The best thing the democrats can do, is let racist, homophobic Trump do what he wants. Give him enough rope to hang himself. He is an utter fool with lots of money, and that is all.
He has zero understanding of ANY government policies, and he never will have. In the short term he will damage the USA a great deal, but he will not be around for long.
Meanwhile, Putin gently plays him every which way, like a Balalaika.
Trump will eventually be hoist by his own petard. Of that I have no doubt. Even the republicans will tire of him – indeed that may indeed be their plan.
They’ve already done this to the middle east. You could just as easy slot Blair, Bush, Brown and Cheney in to this darkest timeline. China’s probably next but there will still be SLab twerps blaming Nic Sturgeon.
Politics in the UK and much of the western world, has subjugated itself to the mistaken belief that market forces are capable of determining “best-practice” in public policy.
There is no alternative to neo-liberalasm, which is a pity really, as value systems that are divorced from moral and ethical (human) values, are intrinsically anti-social and so subsequently unsustainable. It’s a neo-fascist thing, as economic force is used to re-shape society to conform to economic ‘rational’. This rational depends on inequality, which is considered the driver of progress.
That’s UKOK for you, that is.
Westminster britnats are desperate to brown-nose Trump.
The final illustration showing Armageddon is ‘orrible!
Powerful. Uncanny. Chilling.
Who or what is the equivalent of Dredd in this real-life scenario?
Abstract answers welcome.
Scotland is a left leaning country attached to a right wing nationalist country. Our cultures are at odds, and now our politics are on a different dimension.
We are in the death throws of the UK. In 2 years time we will look upon this period as the great Schism. Scotland will indeed be a beacon as predicted by Nostradamus.
O/T This is what happens when you trash your export Base…
link to wsj.com
Did Corbyn bring some good weed up with him, I quite fancy a splif before watching the trump inauguration!
The Tories committed electoral fraud in 31 constituencies. A cabel of crooks. Hammond blames Blair as they trash the world economy.
The 52nd State. SKy/Fox News. Another diversion. Get rid of SKy. Can’t even watch Andy Murray’s matches on TV. Just all US nonsense. A pantomine.
@Dr Jim says: 20 January, 2017 at 4:08 pm:
“People in England say they’ve got no faith in right wing newspapers and don’t believe what’s in them
So how come these same people believe the shit that’s printed about Scotland in these same shit newspapers”.
So you noticed then?
“Is logic different in England?”
Well not really. Most of them are nice people but it only takes one utter nutter like sensibledave, who thinks himself to be a brave, self appointed, spokesperson for the silent majority to cast a sinister dark false shadow over the whole population of the various factions that make up the selection box of English people.
Aye Jeremy we know what Labour do and have done to stop the Tories at Westminster f/all , and you have the f/in cheek to say the SNP government are doing the Tories work for them, yah lying tosser . Piss off back south where you belong.
@Dan Hull
“Westminster britnats are desperate to brown-nose Trump.”
Absolutely. Trade agreements with trump will make EU membership seem like a Poundland deal.
Since it is silly season.
Circa 1992 I was in Trump Tower and saw in a display case there one of Elvis’s white comeback jumpsuits.
I had this deliberately diverting hope that he might appear for his inauguration wearing it and doing an Elvis impersonation (with a caption reading THIS IS NOT NORTH KOREA of course to avoid confusion).
Then I thought naw, he would look more like Liberace.
Then I thought he good go the whole hog and come up through a trap door with a piano and candelabra and a backing group (The Trumpettes?).
I am hoping re-connection with the real world will ensue once more when this pantomime is over.
Notice it started to rain on Trump’s parade just after he started his speech!
I see the American financial giant `Black Rock` have just bought themselves a serving member of our illustrious United Kingdom Brutish parliament,
the English neocon and all round scumbucket Brutish MP George Osborne has become an adviser to Black Rock while still serving the people of this here UK,
wonder if English NHS being run down to accelerate privatisation and releasing the £120 billion yearly budget has anything to do with it.
Chick McGregor, I would give you an up vote if such a thing existed.
Trump in his Elvis suit, singing that bit in the middle of Donald Where’s Yer Troosers, with lyric changed to ‘Isle of Lewis’ and riding Strangelove style on an ICBM to bomb Scotland because the SNP won Indyref 2 and turned his actual golf course into a state-owned windfarm.
We all go out with a bang.
Just watching Trump’s speech. What a travesty. He is in short a con man.
He is now calling on God to protect America. It might go down well with some but real Christians can see through his thin veil of religiosity.
He is a ‘manifest destinity’ man. He will never unite America in common purpose.
We will have many people and groups to thank for achieving Scottish independence.
Yes, the LibDems have played their part.
If the only an only thing they had achieved out of the coalition was a decent PR system, then WM would be a quite different place. We wouldn’t have the Tories in power with 37% vote. We wouldn’t have had their internal power struggle leading the the EURef and Brexit chaos. Simply, we wouldn’t be in the mess we are today.
And if the UK wasn’t in meltdown, independence wouldn’t be imminent.
Just saying, like 🙂
O/T
We have had huge monstering of the NHS in England recently (in addition to the Scottish NHS nonsense highlighted on this site).
Over the last couple of days my mailfile has been bombarded with junk mail selling private medical insurance “to jump the NHS queues”.
Coincidence? Doubt it!
After the Donald’s speech best of luck to Mayday to get a deal from him, if she thinks the Yanks will bend over for her she is even more delusional than I think she is , have a nice day now ha ha .
Hope T May and the south British public are listening.
“… from this day forward it’s going to be America First, America First … every decision on trade will be made to benefit American workers and American families…Protection will lead to greater prosperity and strength.. buy American and hire American… we will eradicate (Islamic terrorism) completely from the face of the earth…patriotism…we will be protected by God.
Your voice, your hopes your dreams will guide our destiny, you will never be ignored again…” … (unless you are a member of Obamacare???)
Empty rhetoric? My reply to him is How?
Maybe no deal rather than a bad deal is an attractive option!
Re the Electoral college, I saw a video explaining how it all worked and it seems to me to be a reasonable method of ensuring that the small states don’t get totally dominated by the larger ones. Although it may be flawed in some regards it’s probably the best way to ensure that the smaller states stay on board. What California does could be interesting, the Californian Independence Party have about 20% in polls now, after four or eight years of Trump (if the human race survives that long) I would imagine they will have at least doubled their support. California produces over 50% of the USA’s foodstuff so could be interesting if they decide to leave the Union.
@ Nana Tops of the Ferret gang, should Nicola be worried loL.
Meg Merrilees,
It’s supposed to be considered “lucky” if it rains during a funeral as God is weeping for the departed and the mourners, So what does that say about us? That Baptist Minister mentioning the rain was bullshitting. I googled that text, It doesn’t exist. So it starts off with a lie.
I remember when I was taking my Higher History Night Class at Ayr College 8 years ago. It was Wednesday 21st January 2009, the evening after the Obama inauguration. A young guy said, “Where were the white faces”. Well, it’s the opposite today. All I see is row after row of crackers and rednecks. Seamstresses and carpenters, as well as sellers of petrol and matches will be rubbing their hands in glee. I remember watching the Civil War many years ago. As an old black woman said, reminiscing about the 1950’s in Georgia, “It’s lynching time”. God bless America? God bless the human race more like. And God help us all.
One of my online subscriptions just jumped from £14:99 to £19:99.
I’d like to pass my personal thanks on to every smug Brexiteer in England.
I’ve said it before I’ll say it again when Airforce One lands on Scottish soil the SG or Aberdeen council shouldn’t be footing the Bill for Trumps Family visiting.
Bill McDermott says:
20 January, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Just watching Trump’s speech. What a travesty. He is in short a con man.
A guy on the news who knows Donny T, says he’s a hustler on his best behavior.
Trump ” Buy American, hire American” Sounds dodgy for trade deals then.
@ronnie anderson 5:43pm
Exactly right. And the LibDems [all three and a half of them] should provide the security for Trump since they, the LibDems, owe the police force in Scotland hundreds of thousands of pounds.
O/T just done a panelbase poll, asking the sort of questions a Pro Indy person would ask, is that you Rev?
I wonder how Trump will respound to Inderef2? Like all the others I suppose? The only friendly country we had in the west was Iceland. “Sigh”.
World news on Brexit has dried up a bit today. Something else going on?
This is an interesting story …
Switzerland may be outside the European Union, but the country is not looking for an “anti-EU alliance” with the UK, its foreign minister has said
… wonder where the notion of an “anti-EU alliance” came from? Not thin air!
link to archive.is
WOS archive links for March 2013 now over on O/T.
Proclamations from on High America 1st america 1st to resound throughout Every City & every place in the known Universe into infinity & beyond .
Fer fek sake no anither Tablet of Stane.
@Nana3.59
Heh. Remember those alright. Where I was brought up most had been converted to garden sheds or coal sheds in every back garden in our street.
Built to last. 🙂
If it rains at a funeral the deceased will go to heaven. Is it a sign we are all about to die? A sea of rednecks/crackers everywhere to be seen. The opposite of Obama 8 years ago. America is divided like never before. This time, if there is secession, it will be the Liberal North East and West.
The US coastline will start at Virginia in the East and end at the Rio Grandee. They will have no West Coast left. The south and the Agricultural Mid West are the Republicans spiritual home. The Bible Belt and the Rust Belt are holding the Republican territories together will Donald Trump as the buckle. If he suceeds all will be hell. If he doesn’t, all will be hell. After his election some of his supporters yelled, “Hail Trump”. Trump like Hitler, has promised everything to everybody. Truley a man for all seasons? Only if it’s stormy and about to blow your house away. The coming storm will pass no one, and leave nothing unscathed. Is this the end of a tolerant Liberal America and it’s allies? Time to jump ship off the SS Titanic. The Captain is a megalomaniac, and his first mate is a blond fat clown, born in New York that poses as UK Foreign Secretary. The Lifeboat Scotia is ready for all that need her. Let’s get in together. The Iceberg is heading towards us. We either sink or swim from now on.
@ Dan Huil dey you know whit Alex Salmond’s golf handicap is Trumps needs tae be taken doon ah peg or three. lol
@Macart 6.14
I believe one or two have also been used for growing ‘exotic ornamentals’.
Did Farage, Gove, Eddie Hitler, Ligger Neil pop up next to Pres Trump at his inaugurationerising? Woody Allen’s Zelig style.
Weel, Alex micht use a belly-putter but Trump wears a divot on his heid.
What can you say about it complete lunatic beats complete psychopath.
Why do i feel the urge to go house hunting in the highlands?
Pres Trump’s dinner of Aberdeen Angus beef looks tasty, the huge inauguration choir had swish tartan outfits, and the new Pres Trump’s mum’s Scots. But not heard any honking BBC commentator say the word “Scotland” once.
Just in case it all goes tits up before tomorrow.
Have a wee look at “Wintergaten marble machine” on yatube.
At least if this is the end, you will have seen genius.
Comments about Trumpet not being the leader of the free world, none of the other USA presidents have been worthy of that title, they ambushed the title because they claim to be the most honest, worthwhile country on the planet who also claimed to have landed on the moon!!?
I am not a fan of Trump ( I backed Mr Baxter’s films about Trumps golf course), but is he going to be any worse than the rest, I don’t know?
At least he seems to be trying to talk to, rather than threaten Russia.
Personally I think his presidency will be over, come the end of 2017, as he will be completely out of his depth.
Then Who???
Ye Wingers!
You’re welcome.. to be ye writers’
Am in our capital city tonight.
Look out Edinburgh!
X.
The next pages of the script..
Oh say can you see..
To the light..
To be free.
Aye!
Gary. I take more or less the same view.
Hopefully Trump will have suffiently undermined the USA’s hegemonic position sufficiently by then to leave it as merely another equal standing nation in a multipolar world with no automatic qualification of its adventurism by a U.K. which will be entering its terminal collapse phase.
Gary45%
Just hide your pussies. I’m from Aberdeen, everytime I hear his daft waffle at the Washington ceremonies, am zapped back to Balmedie beach and endless fine Scottish summer afternoons and booze ups in a flash. He’s not completed buggered Balmedie.
DerekM@6.45
Welcome to the Highlands, you could do a LOT WORSE.
A great wee place to live.
will he be able to do the golfin with all those guys in sunglasses jumping about looking for snipers,and i am sure the green keeper will be furious if he drives a bullet proof armored golf buggy all over the course lol
Ach look on the positive side guys its America there is a good chance someone will shoot him.
So, how long before VP Mike Pence is sworn is as the 46th president?
@ScottieDog says: 20 January, 2017 at 4:54 pm
“Absolutely. Trade agreements with trump will make EU membership seem like a Poundland deal.”
You have to be kidding. After we leave the Kingdom of England’s pound will be worth about 9p to the Dollar and no one but England will want it.
Gary 45% @ 6.54
I said as much to my son a few days ago. He will not like ‘not being in control’ and will be itching to get back to control of his businesses especially if his children are not doing things his way.
I’d be very surprised if he goes the whole 4 years.
@frogesque
I’ve heard that too. 😀
I watched a documentary last night about trump and how he may have fallen into a spy trap. Not only did Trump walk out of the interview, a Russian media guy did also during his interview.
The whole thing was a pure propaganda piece I thought and the BBC journalist (cough) was incredibly arrogant, so much so infact that he came across as more arrogant than Trump.
Thought The Donald’s hands were looking particularly petite today 🙂
Bizarre speech – so many promises, so many hostages to fortune.
O/T Anyone else see Joanna Cherry’s barnstorming performance on Brillo Pads politics show? She destroyed his points with forensic precision and even got him to admit on air that ‘Better together’ had promised that a no vote in 2014 would guarantee continued EU membership.
Also first time I’d heard the claim that Scotland is England’s biggest export customer to the tune of £52 billion annually.
Moira Williams
32 mins ·
One wee ray of sunshine amidst the gloom:
“I’ve just been contacted by a recently-retired senior BBC England staff member to tell me confidentially of the collapse in audiences for BBC Scotland’s two flagship news programmes. Reporting Scotland’s audience has fallen from around 500,000 in 2014 to less than 200,000 while Good Morning Scotland’s audience is now less than 40,000.”
BBC Scotland news¤t affairs now watched by less than 5% of Scotland and around 1% listening on the radio.
This issue appears to be resolving itself as the state broadcaster paints itself into an obscure corner pandering to an audience that even most No voters have abandoned.
Just thought you’s might want to know.
Just saw a chap on C4 News called Andrew Sullivan saying that Trump wanted tanks and rocket launchers in his parade.
I would laugh if it wasn’t so worrying.
Aye Gary it is indeed plus the added incentive of possibly not getting flash fried at 450 degrees in a few seconds is very appealing,i am next to the refinery if i was a very angry Russian on the eve of apocalypse i would hit it along with the sub base.
Everything’s going according to plan..
Can you do that?
Yes! You can.
X.
Scotland..
‘Sure choice.
I LOVE SCOTLAND.
X.
If the whole of the world was a giant turd the Donald would want to be the head of the
Shitpile.
Um, have I missed something? This theory that Trump’s election is related to the LibDems…
“The Brexit vote fed into a wider mood across the northern hemisphere and, in our view, contributed to (along with much else) the election of Donald Trump as President of the USA. And that’s where we came in.” – really? I’m not quite following the reasoning here, are there some between-lines information I am missing? Brexit affected American mood?
Usually if it is a theory, you need reasoning, otherwise it is a hypothesis. Even then, I would like to see some rational fleshing-out of at least how you would go about finding this out.
Anyway, I did laugh when I first saw this article, hysterical as it is, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Judge Dredd bits, not read any in quite a while,,, many whiles possibly. Could have done with a few more pages of Dredd to make up for the lack of substance in the article? *trying to look cute and hopeful*
He has apparently removed all reference to global warming, climate change and equality rights from the White House web site.
It is beginning to look like we have the real deal Bob Booth.
This is not good
@HanandShrimp 8.10
What next? Creationism to replace science for all under 14 yr olds?
Scotland couldn’t survive without the Barnett formula
How much is Scotlands GDP Mr Corbyn? Eh, em, that’s not the point they shouldn’t be independent
He presents a tough argument does Mr Corbyn and he seems well clued up on his figures
The Trump Golf Courses in Scotland have always been run by his son. £Millions invested. Well run. They do a grand Christmas lunch and Burns night etc. Pays over the basic wage. Provides skills. Good tips especially for sports fans. Caddying for sportsmen. Manchester United etc. Well mannered, polite well liked family. Non flash who help the majority in the community, included connection to mains water etc. Supported by the majority. Well laid out magnificent course. They go in and out of the airport on ordinary flights, no problems.
Lying useless, malicious trouble causing illegal Greens. They wasted £Millions of public money on Inquiries, blocking essential roads and direct airports routes. Having to go through Heathrow. Along with the sycophant lying biased Unionist Press. Local landowners don’t like rich Americans. Or roads going near their estates. Or private estates getting opened up for public uses.
‘Endless Scottish summers on Balmedie beach’ Don’t forget the wind break and the umbrella.
MSN Reporting that Donald Trumps speech was an almost direct copy of an arch villains speech on the steps of Gotham city hall from a Batman film
frogesque says:
Probably!
link to au.org
Tick!
What next? Declaration that the Earth is flat?
I think the very worst thing you could do to make things worse is to shoot Donald Trump. He is the big daddy redneck, and if you take out the leader, the rest all go berserk. And come on, let’s keep the mood a little lighter please.
I’m kinda curious I must confess, If Trump proves to be as hopeless a President as many predict, then he’ll walk away with the title of America’s worst ever President. For the life of me I cannot explain it, but I get the strangest feeling and think he’s too dumb to get us all into trouble. It’s scatter brain stuff colliding with a spoilt ego which gets it’s own way or has a tantrum. But it has a tantrum; it doesn’t kick start a nuclear holocaust. Well, not deliberately anyway.
I mean, he’s going to end Muslim extremism??? Err, no he isn’t. Supposing he turns the top four inches of all the sands of the Middle East to glass, his terrorist enemies would still find a way to extract revenge, and the USA would be reviled as a grotesque comic book caricature that came true. If Trump is serious about ending terrorism, that also leaves the Israelis needing an urgent Plan B, so that isn’t going to happen either for a whole series of reasons.
War with Russia? I just can’t see it. Putin knows Trump is nuts, but instead of playing Top Trumps with nuclear arsenals, the Russians know a generous hamper full of beluga caviar and fine vodka sent to Trump’s suite with a wee note of humblest apology is all that’s required to placate the Big Donald’s angry temper. The Russians know how to handle their bears.
China? Hmmm. That’s a conundrum. And conundrums have an inbuilt security device for the likes of Donald Trump. They’re conundrums, and thoroughly impenetrable. If a crisis emerges, the Chinese will just ask Russia what to do.
Europe is where it might get sticky. Donald might adopt Brexit Britain as a manageable size of pet project which has the added bonus of already speaking American. But I don’t know. Put and Englishman and an American in a locked room with two huge egos, a couple of litres finest vodka (thanks Vlad), and just casually mention Patton or Montgomery and let events run their own narural course. Before you know it, the BBC will “in-distort” their map of the World and redraw the Atlantic back to its original full size.
Which leaves the unconcluded story of the Cheviot, the Stag, and the Orange, Orange madman; but not those Orange madmen, the other orange madman who loves his mother country, and the mother country who is definitely not giving him a front door key.
I don’t know about Donald. If you locked an American President in a room with our Mr Peffers and a bottle or two of finest Scotch Whisky, well, whenever we let them out, I think the world might be a safer place for Scotland. The Russians know their Bears, but Scotland knows it’s bampots.
Greens masquerading as LibDems to get elected. LibDems colluding with Tories to ruin the world economy. May stuck out on a limb with Brexit. Doon the drain.
HandandShrimp says:
20 January, 2017 at 7:43 pm
Just saw a chap on C4 News called Andrew Sullivan saying that Trump wanted tanks and rocket launchers in his parade.
Its a foreign country’s politics though. If you think our noble and honest UK tory hackdom is extremely dodgy, blatant or sneaky creepy liars, masters of smear, misinfo, disinfo, innuendo and vicious slander, BBC style…US hacks are just as bad, GOP and Democrat. Then you get to state levels.
Its important to have opinions about US politics but unless you live there for a long time, you dont really know who the good guys are, or what their agenda is and even then…
Here endeth the sermon:D
Bang goes another voting theory
link to commonspace.scot
Breeks says:
Alas Trump is teetotal. Other temptations will be required. 😉
In theory, Trump’s election gives European countries a chance to stop blindly following US policies.
In practice, the hypocrite rulers of Europe who had made anti-Trump comments before his election will soon start licking his arse, if they haven’t started already.
Personally, I don’t think Trump will be any worse than Clinton. If he improves relations with Russia, he will be better.
coming up at 9 on BBC Alba – a program about Outlander. We dont get to actually see Outlander, though.
US presidents have a 1 in 5.5 chance of survival. 8 out 44 Presidents have died. 4 have been assassinated. 4 died from natural causes.
Some of the Founding Fathers were Scottish. Influenced by the Declaration of Arbroath. A large Scottish Diaspora. Approx 1 in 10 US electorate Trump are of Scottish descent. 1 in 6 of the US electorate is of Jewish descent. Migrants from Europe. Trump doesn’t have an overall majority.
Re. President Trump’s choice for secretary of Health and Human Services, Tom Price. As he actively supports the privatisation of healthcare, it’s pretty safe to say he believes market forces are the best determinate of public policy, i.e. he is part of the neo-liberal zombie spawn. He also has some pretty worrying views on evidence based science and equality issues. As such, he should get on well with Bo Jo the clown and others of a comparable social Darwinist outlook.
‘Should Mundell resign?’
Now over 1000 votes – still 98% Yes
link to twitter.com
Opinion piece on Brexit from the NY Times.
“The vote for Brexit was in fact the moment Britain turned its back on the world, succumbing to pettiness, anti-immigrant bigotry, lying politicians, self-delusion and vapid promises of restored glory.”
Some folks in the US know what they are talking about!
link to nytimes.com
galamcennalath says:
20 January, 2017 at 8:36 pm
Breeks says:
… fine vodka … a bottle or two of finest Scotch Whisky,
Alas Trump is teetotal. Other temptations will be required. ?”
… But Galamcennalath, we couldn’t possibly ask Mr Peffers to do it for nothing.
Contrary says: 20 January, 2017 at 8:10 pm:
“Um, have I missed something? This theory that Trump’s election is related to the LibDems…”
Yes you have indeed missed something.
“The Brexit vote fed into a wider mood across the northern hemisphere and, in our view, contributed to (along with much else) the election of Donald Trump as President of the USA. And that’s where we came in.” – really? “
Yes! Really.
“I’m not quite following the reasoning here, are there some between-lines information I am missing? Brexit affected American mood?”
Yes.
“Usually if it is a theory, you need reasoning, otherwise it is a hypothesis. Even then, I would like to see some rational fleshing-out of at least how you would go about finding this out.”
It is called thinking and awareness,
DaveErr! Contrary.“Anyway, I did laugh when I first saw this article, hysterical as it is, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Judge Dredd bits, not read any in quite a while,,, many whiles possibly. Could have done with a few more pages of Dredd to make up for the lack of substance in the article? *trying to look cute and hopeful*”
Och! Just sit quiet a whiles, and think about it. It might come to you what is being got at. As for the Judge Dredd stuff -Have you heard about things called, “Search Engines”? Try this one:-
link to google.com
It is a wee bit more advanced and will find things like Judge Dredd comic books for you to read at your leisure.
If you cannot fathom out what the Rev Stu is getting at in the article perhaps some kind Winger will explain it for you.
Universal Suffrage 1920 US. Wall Street crash – Great Depression 1930. Congresspeople have to be 25+ Presidents over 35.
“If you cannot fathom out what the Rev Stu is getting at in the article perhaps some kind Winger will explain it for you.” – how kind, thanks Robert P., that had been what I was hoping for. I was merely curious, but no worries as everyone is already ‘in the know’.
‘..perhaps some kind Winger will explain it for you.’
*Well, that’s me oot the running…sighs…with relief*
A well known british classical pianist was asked to play at Trump’s Inauguration – for NO fee. I t was considered that the honour was payment enough , also, there would be no travel expenses.
It is also believed that Steinway was asked to donate a piano which would then be painted red, white and blue with the Stars and Stripes of the American flag…
Well, i guess if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Found all that tartan a bit cringeworthy, guys were once lynched for wearing it. Must look out ma scarf for the pub the morra.
Julia Bradbury doing a”!Lakewalk!” at Lock Lomond tonight said that the Whisky is worth £125 per second to the Scottish government???
Fred
Extraordinary that there are Scots who definitely don’t want Scots to benefit from this. Labour voting Scots who claim they believe the workers should benefit from their work, then totally oppose the greater value of this industry benefiting the workers.
Connor McEwen
Thanks for the link. IMHO, you’d struggle to find a better banner or standard than the opportunity to access our inalienable “Right to Development”. As a counter to neo-liberalism, it’s positively anti-positivist*, if ye ken fit eh mean? 😉
link to commonspace.scot
link to un.org
* it provides a non-ideologically specific ethical framework which enables the rule-of-law to be applied to all aspects of human development. The “Right to Development” is based on historical evidence of international experience counteracting the economic, social and environmental damage caused through colonialism. It is considered as a template towards achieving sustainable patterns of human development and leaves no space for social Darwinist or UKOK BritNattery. It also comes from a reputable source, i.e. the United Nations.
Glamaig says:
Thanks! We just watched that.
Much of it was talking to its American author Diana Gabaldon. I wonder what she really thinks about the TV series of her book actually being banned in Scotland where it was set?
It has brought tourists from all over the world to see the locations across Scotland. Yet we Scots were denied seeing it when it was released across the rest of the world.
Nigel Farage has been hired by Fox news as a political commentator!!!
Fred says:
When I was young it was only ignorant foreigners who pronounced the Scots ‘ch’ as ‘ck’. Many still do!
Now, I find I hear it from younger Scots, particularly west central Scotland. They say Lock instead of Loch.
Where did that come from? Bloody annoying to hear. They would have been laughter at in my youth.
I can’t help but feel this is ever so slightly harsh on the Lib Dems.
I mean, it’s not as if a deep and meaningful public thirst for PR was at the heart of their rise during that election campaign. It was more like a vague, unfocused desire to grasp any sort of meaningful alternative that wasn’t Labour or the Tories, coupled with a gullible electorate being blinded by Nick Clegg’s surprising ability to not be either Gordon “Dullard” Brown or David “Shiny Forehead” Cameron. He more or less convinced a reasonable swathe of folk to vote for them just by being able to look into the camera semi-naturally (during the complete novelty of the first party leader TV debate), and actually remember the names of people who’d asked him questions not! thirty! seconds! ago! Up against the other two charisma bypass leaders this was a minor revelation.
Then, for reasons I’ve still never fully grasped, the electorate decided to brutally punish them for, as far as I can tell, not doing more to stop the Conservatives being bastards. Of course no-one really thought to punish the folk who actually were the prime bastards in the first place, as opposed to just the bastard-enablers, and indeed everyone then subsequently rushed to reward the head bastards with a large majority at the first subsequent opportunity, proving little more than “Britain’s got weird voters”.
Don’t get me wrong, the tuition fee thing was a pretty awful mistake. But it was like the electorate decided that they didn’t like the Lib Dems because they were bastards masquerading as nice guys, and that the Conservatives were much preferable because, although they were even bigger bastards, they weren’t generally afraid to show that they were indeed bastards – you knew what kind of bastardry you were getting with them right from the get-go.
The Lib Dem mistake was made by taking on the coalition role in the first place. Should’ve let the Tories limp into power as a weak minority government and prepare for a quick re-run. But I doubt that, in the long-run, that alternate history would have ultimately turned out much different anyway.
I find it easier to be harsh on the Lib Dems now, seeing as they managed to execute one of the more impressive pieces of political doublethink recently by being the only full UK-wide party to stand fully as pro-EU, pro-single market (or as fully as they can for such a small number of MPs who couldn’t even agree on that position themselves) – and yet simultaneously still not desire to support the Scottish Parliament motion of finding alternative ways to stay in the single market. Anyway, hey ho, they’re pretty much a flea-bite on the manky dog of UK politics now either way.
Sorry, that got a bit wordy. Copyright “solarflare’s half-baked political opinions”.
So a new era begins with the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States. “A new vision” says President Trump.
The irony of his speech is incredible when you have a billionaire tycoon talking of working for the ordinary American and protecting jobs of workers.
I believe he is lying and that it will be the poorest in America who will suffer most, goodbye to Obamacare and the little welfare that the worst off do receive.
He has plans I’m sure, big plans where people will get jobs probably in some kind of workfare system where the unemployed will be sweeping roads for their welfare stamps. This has the potential to be a disaster for the poorest in that country.
As for his foreign policies around the world then even his closest neighbours will suffer with his thoughts on trade in the world.
Race hate crime will go off the scale with Blacks, Latino’s and Muslims on the receiving end of the hatred this presidency will stir up with his most devout supporters. It will not be good.
Today is not a good day for the human race when the latest President talks of “eradicating” a group of people from the Earth.
No, not a good day at all. Houston we have a problem.
A recent survey has over 50% of Americans believe in angels! Hope they’re right!
solarflare
“Then, for reasons I’ve still never fully grasped, the electorate decided to brutally punish them for, as far as I can tell, not doing more to stop the Conservatives being bastards.”
The reason is much more simple. Clegg and his assorted twats like Sir Daniel Alexander, could have just let the bastards try and run as minority tory government. LibDem’s had a clear choice, and they went for tory glory.
Know you now?
The poorer did not like Obamacare because they were the one’s who have to pay it.The poorer have to bear the cost of compulsive insurance. The burden dies nit fall on the whole community/society. It was an Independent Liberal congressman who refused to concede that public money was spent on Obamacare. Like the Poll tax.
Every State have different levels of care. Some States have good, free (elderly) care. Medicare for those who can’t afford healthcare. Obama was a lamb duck President. There was only the first two years of a Democratic majority in the Congress and Senate to get Legislation through. He used the Presidential perogative, not supported (overrule) to get last ditch legislation through. The Senate has elections ever two years. So an overall majority can be difficult to concede. There has to be a 2/3majority for legislation to go through. Federal Gov is more like the EU. It is State legislation which governs day to day activity. State elections hold importance.
Brexit boosted Trump, Pres Trump will boost Eddie Hitler. Labour are on the edge of a Scottish style abyss in England.
Rancid The Graun,
Ukip leader Paul Nuttall to contest Stoke Central byelection
Party’s new boss expected to be selected as candidate for strongly pro-Brexit seat of outgoing Labour MP Tristram Hunt
Paul Nuttall is hoping to step out of the shadow of former party leader Nigel Farage.
Jessica Elgot, Peter Walker and Rowena Mason
Friday 20 January 2017 15.58 GMT
Takes 3! Graun liggers too.
The LibDems lied. Raised Uni fees when they had complicity promised they would not. The Tories took them for mugs and they obliged. They deserved everything they got. Remember they were the Party of Home Rule. Lloyd George, a Liberal the Partition of Ireland 1922, and the Balfour Declaration 1917. Universal Suffrage 1928.
The German economy will pay a “high price” if its leaders make life hard for the UK over Brexit, British pro-Leave campaigners are to warn.
John Longworth, co-chair of Leave means Leave, and ex-minister Owen Paterson will sound the warning at a major German business event on Saturday.
Britain will “walk away” if the deal is not right, Mr Longworth will say.
link to archive.is
Bet the Europeans are quaking with fear.
The scale of exceptionalism and entitlement of BritNats is astonishing. Their comeuppance is imminent!
‘Me and Bobby McGee’ Kris Kristofferson. Magic. Muzic
Fred@10.29
The majority of Americans believed they landed on the moon!!
@Ken500
Your posts most often support the poor and downtrodden like those in jail or drug addicts. Then you have other posts that support Trump for spending money on his golf course in the NE and Ian Wood as a large donor to Aberdeen and an all round good guy. Not to mention your hatred of anything Green?
Wood and Trump are Billionaires who have absolutely nothing in common with 99.99% of Scottish people, both are vociferously opposed to Independence and say so often where as the Greens are supporters and you chose to slate them.
You totally confuse me and always have done. What is at the core of your support for billionaires and disdain of Greens?
“Then, for reasons I’ve still never fully grasped, the electorate decided to brutally punish them for, as far as I can tell, not doing more to stop the Conservatives being bastards.”
link to bbc.co.uk
There were some LiDem goons in the north east, Malcolm Bruce, what a thug. Sir Daniel Alexander was the biggest Scottish FibDem twat though, until, future Lord Carbuncle decided he was going to damage Scottish democracy as much as he could, from his Orkney redoubt.
There does seem to be another sleaze bag BBC attempt to get FibDem’s back in the game, as Carbuncle showed BBC QT this week.
Might work, no harm in trying, any straw worth clutching, UKOK wise.
There has been a lot of discussion of Scotland or NI doing a ‘reverse’ Greenland and Faroe Islands in relationship to Denmark.
But there are better examples. Both the Channel Islands and Lichtenstein are actually more relevant
Liechtenstein is in political and monetary union with Switzerland as NI or Scotland is to the UK
But Lichtenstein is a member of the European Free Trade Association, and while not being a member of the European Union, the country participates in both the Schengen Area and European Economic Area (customs union).
A potential exact model of a future NI
The Channel islands are not part of the European Union and, thus, were not a party to the 2016 UK referendum on the EU membership, but are part of the Customs Territory of the European Community by virtue of Protocol Three to the Treaty on European Union.
In September 2010, a Channel Islands Brussels Office was set up jointly by the two Bailiwicks to develop the Channel Islands’ influence with the EU, to advise the Channel Islands’ governments on European matters, and to promote economic links with the EU
And here is a taxation research paper of how the Channel Islands is in a SEPARATE customs union with the EU DIFFERENT from the UK.
link to taxresearch.org.uk
There are obvious parallels that the Irish Government can insist upon for NI before giving assent to any EU treaty with the UK
Might be no harm for Wingers to circulate this to anyone who might need to know in Scotland
Loving the fact that folk are out there already designing new bank notes and regulation for scottish banking.
Live from the end as neville Goddard said.
Thepnr says:
20 January, 2017 at 10:57 pm
@Ken500
The rich are different from us. Its hard to grasp just how much money a billion pounds really is, let alone several billion. Ian Wood made his stash of billions, he’d tell you that it was all down to hard work, paid his taxes, employed thousands, so keep your hands off it.
He bought his son my local, couple of million, another million doing it up, nice guy, expensive taste in cars, £300 grand Lambos, very swish, sold the pub, couldn’t make it work.
But if you ever wondering where the Scottish oil pension went…
They use their money to fan their gigantic egos. It’s not rocket science, is it?
The director of my company is American. I looked up his salary $ 4 million he earnt last year. His staff in Scotland haven’t had a pay rise for 5 years!
So that is what capitalism is all about. People become greedy and selfish like D Trump.
The question is will Scotland get out of this greedy shallow country called the UK. I think it’s essential.
For those hoping Trump might not last long.
Be careful what you wish for.
link to archive.is
Prez Grump’s first policy statements:
Defence:
The trump administration will develop a state-of-the-art missile defence system to protect from missile based attack from states like Iran and North Korea.
Law enforcement:
“The dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America is wrong. The Grump administration will end it”
Energy:
“take advantage of all untapped shale, oil and untapped natural gas reserves, especially those on federal land.”
Foreign policy:
“if our partners refuse a renegotiation that gives American workers a fair deal then the President will give notice of the US’ intention to withdraw from NAFTA ( and TPP)”
On the Whitehouse.gov website all pages on Climate change, LGBT rights and various science policies have been wiped.
Also two petitions have disappeared one ‘that he release his tax returns’ the other ‘that he put his businesses into a blind trust’
The irony of the precious ex-darlings of Hollywood turning their back on Trump’s inauguration is that he’s the most likely to become a Hollywood film or series style president. The jury’s out on whether that will be good – or bad, as it ain’t happened yet.
Meanwhile the thought for the day is – would we really prefer Clinton?
Meg, you forgot the so, so important law you guys wold not believe’ the he who supplied it cannot deny it statuette.
Trump’s crew hate the idea of global warming and renewable energy, offshore his Balmedie club.
link to archive.is
Scotland sets ambitious goal of 66% emissions cut within 15 years
Holyrood ministers aim higher after hitting target of 42% cut by 2020 six years early, but say Brexit poses challenge”
“Enriched by a vast £727bn sovereign wealth fund built up from its North Sea oil and gas industries, Norway has set Europe’s most ambitious emissions reduction target so far, committing itself to become carbon neutral by 2030 – two decades earlier than planned.”
Ian Wood’s only got a few percent of that sovereign wealth fund. The rich inherit the mineral rights.
Corbyn is just as much of an English nationalist as the rest of them. Don’t let the scruffy suit and beard fool you. He was a secret Brexiteer remember.
Coming over the border to declare Scotland as a basket case! Does that take you back to 2014, 1979.. 1707 ffs. The same old unionism in a different suit.
Funk off Corbyn. We are not skint and if we are its because your country is robbing us blind.
Cadogan @11.17 Good points.
Joanna Cherry raised similar points on TV earlier this week
Gibraltar is in the EU but not in the Customs Union.
Channel Islands in the Customs Union but not the EU.
We’re in unchartered territory and as regards Schengen, ROI and Scotland were both members of the Common Travel Area before we joined the EU so borders shouldn’t be a problem either.
link to bbc.co.uk
The Greens are cheating liars who support £Millionaires on the sly, They support wasting £Millions of public money to benefit £Millionaires even multimillionaires. Even selling cities on the Stock Exchange. Playing the role as Deputy leader for position and remuneration They are the enablers voting and colluding with the Unionists at every opportunity. Reneging on their own policies. Then complain there is not money for public services. Put up taxes.
They do not believe in Democracy. Most of their policies are so rubbish they don’t stick to them. The way they have carried on is criminal. They then feed the every obliging Press lies. They take the moral ground but hope no one realises what they are doing. That is even worse. Then think they have covered it up. The majority do realise what they are doing. That is why so few people vote or support them. Just an inconvenience.
Who supports Independence is their choice.
The Greens get votes on the SNP coat tails. Telling lies and splitting the vote and then stab the SNP in the back at every opportunity.
Heil Trump
link to politicususa.com
“The dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America is wrong. The Grump administration will end it”
“our innate tendency to express moral concern and identify with the Other’s wants is stifled in modernity by positivistic science and dogmatic bureaucracy. If the Other does not “fit in” to modernity’s approved classifications, it is liable to be extinguished.” – Zygmunt Bauman
Scotland.
X.
That is all.. and everything.
You know.
Ian Wood’s Trust is going to Africa. So it should. Enough has been taken out of Africa. He has donated to RGU Libraries etc. Scholarships. Built a car park at ARI. He has tried to spread the wealth. Offered the City £80Million to pedestrianise the City which the majority supported but the Unionist/Green refused. They built an unsupported grotesque carbuncle costing £Millions instead. The majority did not want. They even polled the City. The Millionaire Labour/Unionist who ruins the City and troughs on public money. i.e.Some £Millionaires donate and invest. Some £Millionaires rob Cities and the poorer. .
Ian Wood lies about the Oil revenues and gets called out for that. Fair enough. Both the sons have suffered live threatening health risks. Accidents and illness. So wealth doesn’t always cover health.
T-minus 69 days to go and counting.. (max)
See ye there.
@Ken500
I’d be more inclined to believe your staemnets on the Greens if you could provide any evidence or even one example together with names.
Are we talking of the Scottish Greens here?
Unless you provide evidence I’m inclined to believe that you personally have a problem with Greens and it is nothing more than a vendetta. It has to be Put up or shut up.
Ian Wood’s son served the meals and did the dishes at the Bieldside Inn. Works long hours. Had an accident which was not his fault in a small automobile with life threatening injuries. A women crashed into him. Ian Wood worked 70 hours a week all his life. Not everyone’s cup of tea. The thing most people are reported to say on their deathbed is ‘they wish they hadn’t worked so much’.The Wood Group paid their taxes. Just look up their accounts on the internet.
@Meg merrilees
Hmmm, and that’s just the opening salvo. So it begins.
Saving them from embarrassment by not naming names, but it is all on record. Just google or whatever ACC minutes from 2012. They try and hide and hope no one notices but they do. It is common knowledge. Just mention their names in the City.
Watching Obama leave the White House tonight then Trumps arrival, I couldn’t help but reflect that America has gone from cool to fool. Unfortunately, a very dangerous fool.
This whole episode has had an air of unreality about it. I’m hoping that tomorrow I’ll wake up and find that I’ve just had a nightmare.
@Breeks says: 20 January, 2017 at 9:01 pm:
“… But Galamcennalath, we couldn’t possibly ask Mr Peffers to do it for nothing.”
Sorry but the last alcohol that passed my lips was in 1970. It was the last time I used tobacco too. Can’t say I missed either of them after the withdrawal symptoms went away.
I’ve nothing against others use of them. I just don’t need them to enjoy myself or other people’s company.
Scotland Oil pensions. Some Oil pensioners are on £2000 pension a month. Now paying taxes on their (tax free) stash. Ian Wood could have ended up giving the City £Billion. If the Unionists hadn’t refused it. They would rather raise taxes on other folk. In fact how much taxes did the Wood Group pay at 20% over sixty years. More than a few £Billions. £Billions. They take £Millions into Scotland.in Contracts. Along with the rest.
Anyone get the up to date figures for 2016 on the Record yet?
1. link to wingsoverscotland.com
2. link to wingsoverscotland.com
Is there a more up todate version?
Exactly how is Norway carbon neutral while trading a £500Billion Oil Fund. They must ski, eat yogurt and dog sledge a lot. Or in electric cars.
@Ken500
It’s OK Ken, I get it now. I’m only guessing but you have met both Trump and Wood and you like them. You supported their proposals both for the golf course in Aberdeenshire and the “development” in Aberdeen city centre proposed by Wood.
Was it Green Councillors that caused these to be dropped? I know they hate windmills too. It’s late at night so can’t be arsed looking.
Care to share the whole story?
@Meg merrilees says: 20 January, 2017 at 11:48 pm:
“We’re in unchartered territory and as regards Schengen, ROI and Scotland were both members of the Common Travel Area before we joined the EU so borders shouldn’t be a problem either.
link to bbc.co.uk“
A couple of points that most here are missing is that all Scots are EU citizens and there is, at present, no EU rules, regulations or legal mechanisms for the EU to expel any citizens against their will. The same allies to member states, which is why the EU is insisting upon the UK submitting article 50 and article 50 is a formal request to leave the EU.
So, if the point is made by the SG, (and it probably already has been), that the United Kingdom is indeed a bipartite union of Kingdoms and not a single country they have all the evidence they need to tell Westminster that they intend keep Scotland as the legacy Member State as Scotland has as much right as England to that membership.
It must be an attractive way for the EU to deal with the situation. It means they do not have to change EU laws or rules nor do they go against all the EU’s good principles.
To allow England to force the Scots out of Europe against their will goes against all EU thinking. If you grant people citizenship it goes against the grain to allow them to be forced out of their citizenship.
In effect it makes EU citizenship totally worthless. It makes Human Rights Laws totally worthless too. The whole ethos of a European Union is for all citizens to have equal rights and privileges.
You lose all credibility if you legally promise these but do not defend your citizens rights to them.
Here’s an EU law that many do not know – any EU citizen is entitled to the diplomatic and ambassadorial aid of any member states embassy.
In fact there have been many articles written by travel and holiday agencies and companies that advise UK people who need help abroad NOT to use the British ones as they offer a far more useless service. Often they refuse help that other EU states will provide.
I believe that when the Article 50 request to leave goes in and the SG then appeals to the EU they will side with Scotland. After all the Westminster has always been a thorn in the side of the EU and in the ECC before that.
Wood’s made a few billion quid, and that’s great, say 2000 million. He offered ACC 50 to 80 million to demolish Aberdeen’s last remaining city centre Victorian gem, parks, views, city lung, all demolished to build a new shopping centre, in the great man’s name. ACC cocked the whole thing up, but that’s what they do. He’s bought Aberdeen Royal Infirmary a new £10 million car park, as his wife found parking tricky up near the hospital. And he’s a nice guy.
Whatever guys like Wood do with their cash mountain during their short time on this earth is their business. Always was. No one was going to take his stash off him.
But moving on, Wood’s a hard core unionist and its thanks to billionaires like him, a Scotland, enriched by say a vast £727bn sovereign wealth fund built up from its North Sea and Atlantic oil and gas industries, is still a relatively long way off. And aboce all else, mega rich guys like Ian Wood, from the City to the Home Counties of merry olde England, will do and say anything to make sure it never happens, ever. Its the knighthood maybe.
BUt its that simple. No sentiment, no tiddly bits of cash here and there, just full on super rich Naw Thanks, we’re BetterTogether and another country will syphon it all away, while calling Scots the scrounging ingrates of teamGB.
Also but not only, Scottish indy wise, we now have a US Pres who wont mutter the odd “maybe no Scotland” like Obama did. Trump’s going to be howling No Thanks in our faces, as long and as loud as any union jack draped goon did on George Square, the day after the Scottish referendum.
^^ and that post above is why Mr Peffers is respected. Education is power. KUDOS Mr Peffers.
India Thorogood, Greenpeace
To
Smallaxe
20 Jan at 6:52 PM
This message contains blocked images.
Show Images
Change this setting
Hi Smallaxe,
I can’t write to you with kind words today. I’m writing to you with a plan.
Right now a climate change denier is getting comfy behind the grand desk in the Oval Office – with cash to spend and a pen poised to sign new laws. Across the world people who he has threatened will watch him being applauded and empowered on their TVs. But he is one man – and there are millions of us.
Donald Trump wants you to give up and let him shape the world in his backward vision. But politicians didn’t start fighting climate change out of the blue: people across the world forced them to. A politician didn’t stop racist segregation: thousands of civil rights activists forced them to. That’s why we cannot put our feet up in 2017, that’s why I’m asking you to take action like never before.
Click on the video below if you’re up for beating Trump – I’ve laid out five ways we can win so we can get started straight away.
Donald Trump will lead the one of the most powerful countries in the world for at least four years. He’s threatened our planet and he’s threatened Muslims, women and countless others. [1] That’s why there’s absolutely no way I’m going to sit and watch the Donald Trump show on the sidelines.
2016 has shown us that Greenpeace needs to stand stronger than ever in all of the 55 countries we work in. Just last week, Greenpeace activists and a victim of Hurricane Sandy disrupted the confirmation hearing of oil-exec Rex Tillerson, making international news. [2]
I’m hoping that like our friends in the USA, you’ll be prouder and bolder than ever to stand up for what you believe in. So if you believe in building bridges, not walls, if you believe that creatures on this planet matter more than the cash on it & that people matter more than profit, I’m asking you to take action like never before. Here’s what you can do.
TAKE ACTION
I’m not sitting this one out and I know you won’t either.
Thanks for all that you do,
India
Greenpeace UK
NOTES
[1] Donald Trump transition team mulling “Muslim registry” says immigration adviser:
link to telegraph.co.uk
Donald Trump sexism tracker: Every offensive comment in one place
link to telegraph.co.uk
[2] Rex Tillerson is Trump’s nomination for Secretary of State, one of the most powerful positions in the US government. Here’s how the press covered the disruption:
link to usnews.com
We don’t accept any money from companies or governments so we can be independent and challenge anyone who threatens the planet or peace. To help us keep fighting climate change, defending our oceans and protecting ancient forests, you can make a regular donation by direct debit. Thank you!
If you no longer want to be in the loop with the latest news from these emails, we’ll be really sad, but you can unsubscribe here.
We have recently updated our Privacy Policy. Please refer to this for additional information on how we use your information, and how you can opt out.
Greenpeace Ltd, Canonbury Villas, London N1 2PN (registered in London no 1314381, VAT registration no 625951426
Reply Reply to All Forward More
Click to Reply, Reply all or Forward
Can someone archive Telegraph links, please. Do not click!
Peace Always
From Smallaxe’s post above:
1st Telegraph link : link to archive.is (from Nov 2016)
2nd ” ” ” ” ‘ ” ” ” ” ” : link to archive.is
(from 20th Jan 2017, here’s the archive of ‘that’ same article from June 2016 too: link to archive.is, clearly they’re re running some anti Trump stuff on the Tele)
3rd USNews Link : link to archive.is (from Jan 11 2017)
@ Ken500
Because they are a small country of 5 million people they do not really need the oil so can sell it on to other countries who do,so by not using it themselves they escape the carbon footprint it causes and become rich.
Shame there is not a similar country of 5 million people that could do the same oh wait!
Posted the June 2016 article twice. This is the Jan 2017 archive of that Telegraph article on Trump’s ‘offensive comments: link to archive.is
K1:
Thanks, my Friend, I posted before realising.
Peace Always
So Trump rejects globalisation, pronounces “America first, America first” and says Britain will be at the front of the queue for trade deals but promises to make the best deals for America.
In the same week Teresa May, who says ‘a citizen of the world is a citizen of nowhere’, wants to make Britain a truly global nation and promises to make the best deal for Britain.
Isn’t that a collision course?
Mr Corbyn came up here on behalf of the Westminster tory government
Until we show that the 15 billion Scottish deficit is a UK deficit and not a Scottish one we are pissing in the wind. I think we’ve lost indy2 already to be honest.
Failure to tackle the arguments head on daily is just ridiculous. We need to counter them at every stage!
The whole story has been shared on the internet. Some people can’t be bothered to look it up. A sense of balanced reporting might help but of course does not. One side is totally promoted, even if it’s lies. Everything is not black, white or indisputable ‘green’. Voting patterns reflect that. What people say and what people do can be quite different. Especially if the Press distorts and takes it out of context.
Trump said ‘offensive things’. Blair said very nice PR things and lied and illegally blew the world to bits. Bush, Hillary and Obama was very political correct while killing and maiming millions of innocent (Muslims) people and getting the US into £Trillions of debt. Deregulating the world Banking system. Raping women etc but hoping no one found out about it. Relying on Fox News. Fake News to cover it up, which they did. Illegally surveilling the whole world. If the US goes over the cliff it takes the rest of the world economy with it. The ‘close relationship’. Thatcher and Reagan etc illegally deregulated the Banking system. Already well documented. ‘The Inside Job’. They broke the Law. Including International Law. Most of them should be in prison.
After Iraq etc they illegally went into Syria causing the worse migration crisis since 11WW. Having made promises to stop the bloodshed. Obama extended it. Clinton was taking money and donations from Saudis (9/11) to kill Muslims. Complicit in torture. Yet a majority in the US voted for her. So are the Tories. The Tories then used it as an excuse to come out of the EU. So they can tax evade.
The people in the US want change. No wonder. That was the choice they got. Whether that happens only time will tell or they can vote again. Relatively soon. SKy News complaining about fake News. At the very least a democratic elected Gov could ensure the Press is owned by a citizen, company registered in Britain. Not a Non Dom status who doesn’t even pay tax as in Britain. Westminster is supposed to ensure it. People have been betrayed on both sides of the Atlantic by the so called ‘special relationship’.
calm yourself Col we aint lost nothing yet,brexit has not even happened,the crazy ass yoons are already in indyref2 and we have not set a date the lies and rubbish they are spouting will be their downfall.
Just wait for the constitutional h-bomb to go off when mayhem stops shitting herself and finally comes out from under the cabinet desk and goes to the EU parliament and signs A50.
Links
Sturgeon should give Scotland the chance to reject May’s absurd adventurism
link to archive.is
link to businessforscotland.com
link to alynsmith.eu
Whistleblower wins 13-year campaign against HSBC
link to archive.is
link to farminglife.com
Britain’s Pound Depreciation Isn’t Working
link to archive.is
Nissan to review UK investment stance once Brexit terms clear
link to archive.is
Switzerland rejects post-Brexit alliance with UK against EU
link to archive.is
Col my online subscriptions have jumped from £15 a time to £20. The price now quoted for £ sterling is the same as for the Euro or the dollar. The reason is a direct consequence of the weaker pound after Brexit, and Brexit hasn’t even happened yet. It is only just beginning. People are going to start feeling the pain at the supermarket and online shopping; that is going to feed inflation and put pressure on interest rates to rise to slow down inflation. That hits everybody with debt and /or a mortgage, but it also hits a bankrupt government juggling £1.6 Trillion debt which it can barely pay when interest rates are negligible. (If anything relating to a percentage of 1.6 trillion CAN be described as negligible).
Back in 2013, Money Week was making scary predictions about the ticking time bomb of crippling debt and the inevitability of interest rate rises. Google it. Read the article, watch the program on YouTube. This was upsetting people in 2013 when Brexit wasn’t even on the horizon.
Don’t read UK news for perspective, read foreign articles, and you will with rare exception find them scathing about the stupidity of Brexit.
They are wheeling out good news on steroids; Niger Farage promising 200 Trade Deals for Britain, Trump giving the UK a Trade deal within what, 90 days of Brexit??? That’s sheer bollocks from Farage, just like his £350 million a week he promised the NHS. And a US Trade Deal in 90 days is the rehashed TTIP Trade deal the US had lined up for Europe which sought to introduce sweeping reforms and deregulation of standards on everything from GM crops to banking. The Tories will bite Donald’s TTIP hand off because the are up shit creek without it, but it will be the coup de grace for the English NHS.
Some times you see stuff in the news, and so often disaster is averted, but Britain was teetering on the brink of financial meltdown in 2013, and through Brexit, it has taken a running jump into the abyss.
Neoliberalism has asset stripped every country which has indulged it, and removed wealth from National economies. It sits in vaults and no longer lubricates commercial activity leaving the country to run like a motor engine without engine oil.
Scotland’s £15 billion black hole is caused in no small part by the interest Scotland pays for Westminster profligacy and criminal incompetence. It is a scratch on the flea that’s biting the dog who is biting the hand that holds his collar as he tries to run away from the disaster that Westminster does not see coming.
Scotland! Grab hold of Europe. Brace! Brace! Brace! For God’s sake, do not let go.
link to thecanary.co
Inauguration, Camera angles tell a different story
link to twitter.com
link to thejournal.ie
link to scepticpeg.wordpress.com
So, now that Theresa May and most of her cabinet have made it absolutely crystal clear that Scotland will NOT get a separate brexit deal, and that the Scottish Government plans are being ignored, it is time for action.
Aside from the supreme court decision this week, the ball is now firmly in the court of the First Minister.
So, are we going to sit and wait, until Westminster destroys our economy, or do we take action, and call a referendum?
Westminster has now made it extremely clear they intend ignoring the democratic will of Scots. The political games are over. Time for action.
yea Breeks i just bought a load of asus geforce210 graphic cards usually retail the last two years at £19-£21 each,they just cost me £31 each.
Mmm, first verse and chorus of the Clockwork Brexit song:
“”I’m a clockwork creep
And I can’t get to sleep
They wind me up and let me go
And I can’t unwind
Going out of my mind
My time is coming soon you know”
Tick a tick a time bomb
Tick a tick a time bomb
Tick a tick a time bomb “
Agreed Ken500,
A person who has said despicable things versus a person who has done despicable things.
Who’s the bad guy?
That’s right, not the person who is complicit in killing hundreds of thousands.
I’m surprised nobody has claimed that Trump turned them into a newt.
C’mon people, engage your brains ffs.
Your weekend reading “what I wrote”:
The cuddliness of Englishness: link to wp.me
Trump mistakes a car for an alien: link to wp.me
Robert Louis
Time for action? What type?
Call a referendum now? Before March.
The Tories and labour remainers are increasingly unhappy about Mays right wing Brexit stance. Let them gnaw on the brexit bone. More will be inclined to move to our indyref2. Younger voters – more each day are pro Indy in EU. We need every vote. I can wait 2 years as the people see the true cost.
London Calling gets onto a UK site.
link to thecanary.co
It does point out that long before they monstered Corbyn, Alex Salmond was the target.
Is this what is meant by special relations don’t let us be fooled it is America first all the time and will always be so.
link to on.rt.com
Trump reminds me of Thatcher and her St Francis prayer and we all know what she did -Trumps first 2 executive orders – stop lower mortgages for families, put in place notice to repeal Obama care. Let us see how he reacts to the protest marches today.
“And now the end is near”
Altogether now,….. and we’re dancing
Hamish100 says:
Leavers too, I would think. I really do wonder just how many who wanted to leave thought that Brexit would mean suicide. The line given, even until recently, was that Brexit meant little more than migration curbing and everything else would remain just the same.
Assuming A50 in March, by mid summer it will be crystal clear to everyone just how hard Brexit will be.
Most leavers wouldn’t have expected that. Many will still go along with it – opting for the Tory BritNat position. However, many others will change their minds and in a Scottish context that means choosing Indy or the cliff jump.
News commentators grasping on to the fact that Trump has reinstated a bust of Winston Churchill into the Oval office as a sign that Trump will offer the UK a trade deal. Still laughing.
I hope he gets a copy of “Monarch of the Glen” hung up in there and then we will know for certain he supports an independent Scotland surely.
Col at 6.38
“Failure to tackle the arguments head on daily is just ridiculous. We need to counter them at every stage!”
And how do we actually do that? By purchasing all the newspapers,the BBC and STV. Perhaps you can outline how we can “counter them at every stage!.”
Robert Peffers 1.18am
Great post, and articulates the issues brilliantly.
I did know you can avail you self of assistance from any EU embassy if you require. I have often heard the Irish embassy spoken of in glowing terms of providing assistance.
Yet another example, sadly, of an amazing Right, that the UK would never promote, in their 40 years of rubbishing the EU.
With regard to Corbyns visit, and telling us we are too poor, and Scotland will leave the EU with the UK, Nicola DID respond on Twitter in no uncertain terms, and it was reported.
More of that, please.
Have patience Scotland. Every injury to Scotland before calling Indyref2 adds justification for calling it, whereas injury to Scotland after calling Indyref2 will be debased and twisted by our resident propagandists and BritNat windbags as self inflicted retribution for our disloyalty to Britain.
Have patience, while Brexit reveals all it’s ugliness and treachery to England and our BritNats, without them having Scotland’s act of self preservation to serve as a serviceable scapegoat and vehicle for hate for all the miseries of Brexit. Credit where it’s due, it is the stupidity of Westminster’s Brexit which is destroying the Union. It is no act of Scotland.
Scotland’s Independence then becomes a strategy of resolute self defence from the perilous and damaging consequences of unchecked British Unionism and blood and soil nationalism. We broaden our pro-indy Kirk by refraining from aggressive assault upon a union which is already disintegrating before our eyes. The broader our kirk, the more who will stand beside us when the time comes.
@Breeks
You are right, the insults are piling in, thick and fast.
John Nicolson, MP, said farmers in East Dunbarton were contacting him concerned about tariffs, soon applying.
A few of his constituents were quick to point out these would be the farmers who used their fields in 2014 to erect gigantic No signs.
It’s been said before, there are those, that have to have their personal incomes threatened, before they see Scotland’s path.
We know a large section of society were uncaring about the impact of WM decisions, on those who struggled. However, their livelihood is coming into sharp focus now, and not before time.
Was the Somme a win for the Allies, or for the Germans/Austro-Hungarians?
One hundred years on, the historians are still arguing, so, the Somme is maybe not the best example to use here.
That said, prior to the whistle blowing to start the Allied advance, on 1 July, 1916, the Allies mounted a massive artillery barrage on the German lines, this was intended to soften-up the opposition, a sort of early 20th century “shock and awe” if you like.
However, the Germans were well dug-in, withstood the barrage and when the Allies attacked, they suffered horrendous casualties.
Well, right now, we in the Scottish Independence Movement are the Germans. We are being subjected to a daily barrage of propoganda from the red, blue and yellow Tories, and in particular from their friends in the media.
They own the media, we have no real way of fighting back right now, but, we must wait. We must suffer this barrage, because, when Article 50 is triggered and it becomes clear, their propaganda is pure bullshit, we must be ready to hit back, hard.
We should be marshalling our facts. This morning, on this thread, we saw a link to a site which chronicles all President Trumps anti-women quotes.
I know the Rev has them co-ordinated and chronicled, but, we must be ready, when the Independence Referendum is triggered, to publish all the lies and distrotions which the Union has come-up with.
We must be ready to blow the £15 million deficit claim out of the water: we must highlight McCrone: we must highlight the democratic deficit – the way the Scotland Bill proposals were out-voted: we must highlight the way the Act of Union has been misused against us.
Our biggest problem will be in getting our message across, because they will still control the media.
We must be ready to play the game of our lives. They cheated us the first time, we cannot let them cheat us again.
As a Sports Historian, I am aware, Scotland’s most-glorious victories have tended to be in games which do not matter – we must change the habits of a lifetime and win this fight for FREEDOM!!!
@Col says: 21 January, 2017 at 6:38 am:
“Mr Corbyn came up here on behalf of the Westminster tory government.
No he did not. He came up here on behalf of, “The Westminster Establishment”. This “Londinium”, Establishment was first began by the Romans 55 years before Christ was born and has been ever present in London ever since.
The main Unionist parties at Westminster will fight among themselves like futrets, in a poke, (ferrets in a bag), but will stand shoulder to shoulder together at any threat to their Westminster Establishment.
We see this in action every sitting of the Holyrood debating chamber in Edinburgh. We saw it when they bussed in the Westminster has-been politicians to Scotland during Indyref1.
We saw it in the VOW published by the Scottish, “Daily Wrecker”. We get it every hour of every day on the Establishment’s owned or supported media that the Licence Fee forces Scots to pay for the Establishments propaganda the Establishment shoves down Scottish throats.
” … Until we show that the 15 billion Scottish deficit is a UK deficit and not a Scottish one we are pissing in the wind.”
As above I say we do show these facts. This, though, is never reported by the Westminster Establishment owned media.
“Failure to tackle the arguments head on daily is just ridiculous. We need to counter them at every stage!”
We do counter it. How about instead of doing a Jeremy Corbyn and carping on the side-lines you support the few outlets we have that are doing something about it?
You totally miss the point that this propaganda is tackled daily as it happens and the fact that you do not see that stands testament to just how insidious it is. If you used on-line links like :-
link to parliamentlive.tv
You would see the Scottish MPs working their socks off doing just that and you would know just how much the Establishment treat them with utter contempt with a constant torrent of abuse.
Also instead of taking the BBC’s reports for it you watched the actual Holyrood TV to see the Establishments agents doing the Establishments work for them there :-
link to scottishparliament.tv
I’m amazed at the number of people claiming to be independence supporters on this forum who castigate both the SNP and SG for not fighting this propaganda.
Fact is, “You can take a horse to water but you cannot make it drink”. Likewise you can send or take a press release to an Establishment media but you cannot make them publish/broadcast it.
It is thus doing the Establishment’s work for them to be critical of the 24/7/365 unequal battle waged against the Establishment’s propaganda.
So, now that Theresa May and most of her cabinet have made it absolutely crystal clear that Scotland will NOT get a separate brexit deal, and that the Scottish Government plans are being ignored, it is time for action.
This is a tactic. May simply MUST make it APPEAR that there will be no separate BREXIT deal for Scotland. She wants everyone in Scotland to believe that. Why?
Because she knows the same as everyone else who is tuned in – there WILL be another IndyRef in Scotland within the next 27 months. And May and the whole BritNat Establishment know that IndyRef#2 will be a much closer run thing.
And when YES appear to be winning, what will May do?
Exactly! She will dangle the carrot of a separate Brexit deal for Scotland in order to split the YES vote – just like they did with the Devo-Max / Near Federalism crap they spouted in IndyRef#1. You remember Jackie “Let’s call it Devo-Max” Burd. All over again.
But the offer will only be convincing when they RESIST, RESIST, RESIST giving Scotland a separate BREXIT deal because, in presenting strong resistance to such a separate BREXIT deal, it gives the illusion to less astute voters in Scotland that this separate BREXIT deal is something that Scotland really really wants i.e. that we want that MORE than full independence. They increase the demand for such a deal (over full independence) by simply denying us such a deal. A clever psychological ruse.
Until, of course, the time is right for THEM to pull the rabbit out of the hat when they need to split the YES vote.
A separate BREXIT deal for Scotland is no more different than if Devo-Max were on the ballot paper and we know what WM thinks of Devo-Max. It simply will NEVER happen. And, no matter how much they promise it, a separate Scottish BREXIT deal, even when offered to us at the last minute written in blood across the front page of the Daily Redcoat, won’t happen either. It will be promised by them for sure – and then it will go exactly the same way as THE VOW.
Don’t be fooled by these feckers. Full independence is the ONLY way to return these powers to Scotland in order to change our country for the better and dump the Red and Blue Tories and their austerity Britain once and for all.
Mr Peffers@11.01
I take my bunnet off to you sir.
I suppose in simple terms, Westminster thinks it’s the Queen bee and the rest of the country are the worker bees.
Maybe this was noticed at the EU referendum, where a lot of people “dan saf” thought they were standing up to Westminster with a “protest” vote against the establishment, unfortunately they were playing right into the establishment trap.
Never trust a Yoon.
Ken500,
Pres Trump has just been inaugurated. He’s 100% No to Scottish independence, he’s taken all kinds of blocks to offshore Balmedie wind energy, he promised a billion dollar Balmedie investment and 6000 new jobs, but there’s been nothing near it, he has treated the local home owners who would not leave with very public contempt, the few Trump golf jobs that will come are drivers, waiters and gardeners, its not a Nissan car plant. Above all else, Pres Tump, will be a major opponent of Scotland’s independence.
Thanks for the Trump stuff folks, at least he never groped anybody at the “Ceremoany!” 🙂
bjsalba says:
21 January, 2017 at 9:17 am
London Calling gets onto a UK site.
link to thecanary.co
It does point out that long before they monstered Corbyn, Alex Salmond was the target.”
When London Calling came out I had a grin from ear to ear and was happy.
Can’t describe it, but felt very emotional reading about it on the Canary. Brought a tear to my eye, like somebody on the “other side” out reaching their hand of friendship and support.
Powerful stuff. I recommend you see for yourselves.
@Robert Louis says: 21 January, 2017 at 8:35 am:
” … Aside from the supreme court decision this week, the ball is now firmly in the court of the First Minister.
So, are we going to sit and wait, until Westminster destroys our economy, or do we take action, and call a referendum?”
The ball has been in the First Minister’s court for some considerable time, Robert Louis.
Furthermore, Nicola and her two teams, (one in the Westminster league and the other in the Scottish Parliamentary League). have collected the ball and been running hard with it ever since. Indeed there have been comments on Wings saying the lady looks somewhat tired of late.
She has been travelling around Europe and the World putting Scotland’s case to the people that matter, and to good effect, as there are positive reports feeding back into the system.
As to holding a referendum this would be unwise until after the Westminster Article 50 has been officially lodged with the EU Parliament.
Well actually I would expect it will really have to go via the EU Parliament’s Civil Service – i.e. The European Commission.
From there, after the EC has studied it and set about analysing it, and making their reports and recommendations to the EU Parliament, the EU will attempt to find a suitable date and time in a very crowded and busy schedule.
With many European MEPs, probably considering it’s other matters more important to consider. Thus it might take quite some time. Not to mention it would be a very convenient tactic for the EU Parliament to get the message loud and clear to Westminster that the EU will NOT be threatened by Westminster.
Until the matter comes before the EU Parliament, and been considered by them, the matter of the United Kingdom exit is not up for official discussion. It has not thus yet become an official UK request to leave the EU.
Then not until the matter comes before the parliament and been debated and a decision made can a referendum be called on Scotland’s independence.
Put it this way – until the EU has decided that the UK is actually going to force Scotland’s EU citizens out of Europe can we reasonably ask the Scots voters to decide if they want to dissolve the United Kingdom.
@Valerie:
“It’s been said before, there are those, that have to have their personal incomes threatened, before they see Scotland’s path.”
I’d honestly say most people are “selfish”, including a lot of Indy supporters. Some because they don’t want their reasonably comfortable lifestyle threatened – and why should they? They worked and work for it, and did without at times. Others because they’re close to the edge, jsut surviving, and not only don’t want to take chances, they can’t afford to. Even farmers can be in this category.
“We know a large section of society were uncaring about the impact of WM decisions, on those who struggled. However, their livelihood is coming into sharp focus now, and not before time.”
One of the weakest arguments used by people I thought in Indy Ref 1 was “Don’t you care about the rest of Scotland?” I’m afraid most people probably don’t.
The better argument is that people will be no worse off, the best is that with a thriving Scotland there’s a good chance they’ll be better off.
That’s reality, in this day and age there are few idealists around.
As soon as we move into campaign mode all things change. Let them repeat the lies -the same lies – again and again and again – it is all they have got.
There is diminishing return on this tactic as well informed people can’t be deceived for ever.
But the lie only has to be exposed as a lie once.
And everything the liar says – every other lie – is in doubt therafter.
This is where we are.
We have come through the enemy bombardment and we are as strong as ever.
@yesindyref 2
Not disagreeing with you at all. It’s just that I am one of those idealists that baulk at my being reasonably comfortable, and others suffering really badly, whilst the 1% get rich no matter what.
Besides the sociological reasons I hold, it makes no sense whatsoever to see a large section of society struggling, whilst many turn their back, because they work hard.
Those disenfranchised in your community start to cost you a great deal of public money in health, crime, support etc.
I genuinely want a system that works for all, and its good to see things like universal income being looked at, and a welfare system that gives dignity.
We are all just a whisker from failing, never think it can’t happen to me. I’ve dealt with many homeless people from very well heeled areas.
@Dave McEwan Hill says: 21 January, 2017 at 10:01 am:
…And how do we actually do that? By purchasing all the newspapers,the BBC and STV. Perhaps you can outline how we can “counter them at every stage!.””
Right on the nail, Dave.
I’m beginning to think there may be a co-ordinated Yoon campaign to make out the SNP, YES Movement and the SG are NOT actually fighting these things every moment of their waking hours.
Anyone only needs to view Scottish Questions in the Westminster debating chamber to see that chamber packed to the doors and many members having to stand to realise that the Yoons are intent upon shouting down and insulting the actual Scottish members.
Yet this is the parliament that has introduced EVEL – “English votes for English Laws”, that officially prevents all non-Englanders from voting on what the Englanders class as England only matters. Fact is there cannot be any England only matters because everything in the country of England is funded by United Kingdom tax money.
In other words they now officially force the rest of the UK to fund England but cannot officially have any say in the matter. Not only that but Westminster is the de facto parliament of England that calls itself the United Kingdom Parliament and decides the levels of the other countries block grants.
My choice for POTUS & VEEP would be Michael Moore & Rich Hall in either order.
@Valerie
It needs both. If the Indy movement didn’t have enough ideallists, I’d probably have to become one again!
Think the last words go to Michelle Obama:
“Don’t be afraid.
Be focused, be determined, be hopeful, be empowered.
Empower yourself with a good education.
lead by example with hope, never fear.”
I’m no fan of Trump but I keep on seeing people questioning whether he is legitimate based on the popular vote.
This presumable advocacy for proportional representation forgets that through PR area’s of concentrated population (for instance the south of England) have a far greater clout in an election than lesser populated area’s (for example would be Scottish constituencies)and election policy would be further skewed in favour of areas’ of larger population.
e.g. infrastructure improvements in the city of London would potentially attract over 6 million potential voters by PR and the same thing in Aberdeen only ~2000,000.
Therefore under PR london-centric policies are more attractive than ever.
Any logical Scottish voter should realise that proportional representation in our situation is a potential disaster and should steer clear of advocating it entirely. The only reason that a form of it is in place in the Scottish parliament was to avoid a nationalist majority in the house.
And by the way under popular voting Nixon and not Kennedy would have won the 1960 US election…