Scottish Forecast: Falkirk or Bannockburn?

[OrionzRevenge]

It seems really too close to call and may well depend upon the weather giving the disenchanted & down-trodden a reason to stay in or go out.

As I said in the Scottish Independence thread, I have absolutely no right to an opinion about Scotland's future, and I wish Obama and Tony Abbott of Australia had of felt the same way. As their voicing a pro-Union opinion probably was a really stupid external influence from the leaders of nations that have gone their own way.

Too, I think Cameron has not won many hearts by constantly harping on a gloomy short-term economic future for the Kilt crowd (which I think is probably accurate) and not also admit how motivated he is not to see Britain wounded by the same cleaving. Like a divorce, it will obviously have dire short-term affects on the pocketbooks and social circles (Geo-political) of both parties and Cameron should've talked up and not down to the people that gave us Adam Smith.

With it coming to the wire neck & neck in 2 days, I guess I could flip a coin
...or just go with my heart that has no right to want.

[Senseye]

I think I will predict a NO win - a quick google reveals the polls are close but the bookies and markets seem to favor the NO vote. It is often wise to "follow the money" in these things but who knows. Plus, somewhat related to the "voting" thread, I get a sense many of the left-wingers, new-agers, downtrodden, etc who may favor a yes vote, might be too lazy to actually show up at the voting booth (versus replying to a poll which often comes to them).

Personally, it matters not one whit to me. I figure this will have as much impact on my life as when the Czechs and the Slovaks went their separate ways (i.e. nada).

[C.J.Woolf]

I think I will predict a NO win - a quick google reveals the polls are close but the bookies and markets seem to favor the NO vote. It is often wise to "follow the money" in these things but who knows.

I agree.

Plus, somewhat related to the "voting" thread, I get a sense many of the left-wingers, new-agers, downtrodden, etc who may favor a yes vote, might be too lazy to actually show up at the voting booth (versus replying to a poll which often comes to them).

Like some Democratic Party "constituencies" in the US. They piss me off.

[OrionzRevenge]

I think I will predict a NO win - a quick google reveals the polls are close but the bookies and markets seem to favor the NO vote. It is often wise to "follow the money" in these things but who knows. Plus, somewhat related to the "voting" thread, I get a sense many of the left-wingers, new-agers, downtrodden, etc who may favor a yes vote, might be too lazy to actually show up at the voting booth (versus replying to a poll which often comes to them).
...

Yours is probably the correct analysis and is why I say that the weather might play a huge role. I just get a sense that talking too much about money, when it truly is like deciding if to divorce your spouse, has inflamed old passions and perceptions about the union.

It also should give pause to those that expressed apathy about voting in our recent thread about same.

[Dirac]

Plus, somewhat related to the "voting" thread, I get a sense many of the left-wingers, new-agers, downtrodden, etc who may favor a yes vote, might be too lazy to actually show up at the voting booth (versus replying to a poll which often comes to them).

I actually think this is completely backwards. The 'yes' movement are much more of an actual movement, and much more motivated. Also, polls tend to over sample old people, who tend more towards no votes.

I still think it'll be a no though.

[Thoth]

I vote NO because Falkirk is a cooler name by virtue of "Kirk" being part of it, as in James T., whom we know always wins in the end.

Seriously however, I no dog in this fight either, but something about it reminds me of the 6 Californias initiative. I.E a financially motivated move toward techno feudalism. I can't exactly say what gives me this pulse, but big picture, people with money in Scotland have more to gain via Independence than the ones who don't. The haves are just selling the notion of greater political control over their country to the have-nots as the primary motivator, but truth be told, it's going to be those who buoy the economy who are really going to be calling the shots.

[Madrigal]

It matters to me to see the UK, and hence an ally of the US, debilitated. I'm placing a vote of confidence in Scottish intelligence that they will choose wisely. They don't need the UK, the UK needs them.

[Starjots]

Is this a simple majority vote? Seems kind of crazy to break up a nation on a one time majority vote when it took six hundred years of conflict to glue them together.

[msg_v2]

Like some Democratic Party "constituencies" in the US. They piss me off.

It's looking like the Republicans will retake the Senate, which means that, as a best-case scenario, even less will get done. There's that one guy in Kansas that is independent, but I think it's a pretty good chance that he's going to caucus with the Republicans if he wins, because it's Kansas. It would just be the politically smart thing for him to do. My house district is pretty safe because of the gerrymandering that happened after 2010 (it was up in the air before that); if a third party is on the ballot, I may vote for it.

As for Scotland, I'm not that knowledgeable on the issue and have no stake in it, and I feel that I should abstain from having an opinion. I feel the same way about Northern Ireland. The stuff in the Levant I feel more strongly about and know more about (although there's a lot of things I'm sure I could learn).

[C.J.Woolf]

There's that one guy in Kansas that is independent, but I think it's a pretty good chance that he's going to caucus with the Republicans if he wins, because it's Kansas. It would just be the politically smart thing for him to do.

[OT] I read that the Kansas independent would caucus with the majority party in the Senate. If it's a slim majority it would magnify his influence.