gregorach wrote:MKG wrote:@Dunc - Yes, it is somehow different. The UK (complete with centralised government) has been around in one form or another since 1707. Government of the UK from Strasbourg has never happened (and probably never will). The UK has history - some of it good, some of it bad - and I'm a bit of a stick in the mud for history.
Well, I've never been a conservative, even with the smallest of "c"s... I don't think "that's the way it's always been" is a good argument for anything, and when I see people resorting to it, I tend to assume it's because they don't have a better one. As far as I'm concerned, the question of interest is simply whether Scotland is sufficiently different (socially, politically, and economically) from the rest of the UK that our interests cannot be effectively served by a single government dominated (as is numerically inevitable) by the south-east of England - and my answer to that question is an unequivocal "Yes".
we are different to England and the rest of the uk. we have a different justice system, different education system and a different health care system. remember all those 'reforms of the NHS'? that was all in England and had nothing to do with Scotland. they are always going on about political stuff on the news refering to the whole of the uk when in fact it only applys to England. that always annoys me. also when they say on the weather for the UK they spend loads of time going over England them skimp over Scotland, also they say things like' across the rest of the country' implying the UK as a whole when in fact its just England they are talking about. also notice when they are talking about athletes, for example, if they are English they refer to them as English and this is grate for England, but if they are from Scotland they get referred to as British not Scottish.
other things are different too, like the housing market for example.
we already have our own government and laws and education and healthcare and loads of other things, we are practically independent as it is. its just that England controls the taxes and the oil. would it really make that much difference if we became completely independent? they way things are at the moment it seems only the finances are the issue, and thats a pretty big issue. is it financially better to be independent or not? iv no idea, im totally stumped and quite relieved that im no loinger resident in Scotland and so will not be voting.
also what do people think about letting 16 year old kids vote? they say the kids are the future and they should have a say, but im not convinced they are mature enough and know enough about whats going on to be included on such am important decision.
Tim Minchin - The Good Book
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr1I3mBojc0
'If you just close your eyes and block your ears, to the acumulated knowlage of the last 2000 years,
then morally guess what your off the hook, and thank Christ you only have to read one book'