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Re: Brexit
People have the democratic right not to vote.
You can argue that people that don't vote are just lazy or indeed you can argue that many people just don't care as they can't see any benefits to them either way.
People are generally lazier and dumber these days. Newspaper sales are in decline and people are getting their news from a whole variety of, to them, "trusted" sources.
If I want information on the financial state of Scotland I'll read Kevin's Chokka Blog. If I want general news on Scottish afairs I'll use the Scottish Review as they seem to be the only publication not accepting the SNP dictate on all matters to do with Scotland.
I also no longer accept what any government says. For example the SNP states quite clearly that the EU is our largest Export market (which it is) but they fail to tell you that 70% of those exports are to England alone. That little ommited fact makes a huge difference to ones thinking.
Actual facts can be ascertained by taking the time to examine many of Scotland's and the UK's official statistics albeit in some cases taking hours of research.
The corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) ensures that Member States of the EU adopt appropriate policy responses to correct excessive deficits by implementing the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP).
The EDP operationalises the limits on the budget deficit and public debt given by the thresholds of 3% of deficit to GDP and 60% of debt to GDP not diminishing at a satisfactory pace.
These limits are enshrined in Art. 126 of the Treaty and in Protocol 12 accompanying the Treaty in order to ensure sound public finances necessary for the functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
Scotland's current deficit to GDP is at 9.4%. So to join the EU Scotland would by EU law have to implement policies that would reduce the current deficit to 3%. What's not clear about that?
For a new member to join the EU all 27 EU members must vote for them to join. If even one country does not agree then they simply don't get it. Spain, for their own good reasons, have stated very clearly they would veto Scotland joining the EU or remaining in when the UK left.
So just on those two points alone what makes you think that Scotland would even get into the EU or be allowed to remain?
The other part of the mix is that Marine Le Pen, president of the National Front party in France, who is said to be twice as popular as current French president, Francois Hollande, according to a latest poll.
Miss Le Pen has previously praised David Cameron for pledging to hold a referendum on EU membership and forcing the European Commission to “cede to the demands” of Britain.
The anti-immigration party has vowed to hold a vote just six months after it wins power during the presidential elections next year.
National Front leader Le Pen said Thursday’s historic EU referendum was a clear indication the 28-nation bloc was “decaying”, as she vowed to give her own countrymen the choice should she elected to the Elysee Palace.
She said: “I would vote for Brexit, even if I think that France has a thousand more reasons to leave than the UK.
So we also have the French Presidential elections to look forward to in 2017. And should the French vote to leave where does that leave the EU?
DUTCH populist politician Geert Wilders says he WILL use Britain's Brexit vote as a platform for The Netherlands to have a similar referendum to leave the European Union.
The right-winger told the German magazine: "The instability we're seeing in England at the moment is only temporary. In the long run, the British will profit, just like we'd profit from leaving the EU.
German Finance minister of the European powerhouse Wolfgang Schaeuble urged the the now-27 member countries to break away and take an "intergovernmental approach" to tackling problems because European Commission time frames take "took long".
Mr Schaeuble’s shock intervention adds to further speculation that the EU is on the brink of collapse as Eurosceptism sweeps the continent following the Leave vote.
Britain voted to break away from Brussels on June 23 - a momentous decision that has rocked global financial markets, thrown British politics into turmoil and raised concerns about Europe’s future prospects.
Mr Schaeuble told a local newspaper that now was a time for pragmatism, adding: "If the Commission doesn't get involved, then we should take the matter into our own hands and solve problems between governments.
The point I am making here is that all is not well inside the EU but we don't seem to be talking about this. Why not?
Alastair
People have the democratic right not to vote.
You can argue that people that don't vote are just lazy or indeed you can argue that many people just don't care as they can't see any benefits to them either way.
People are generally lazier and dumber these days. Newspaper sales are in decline and people are getting their news from a whole variety of, to them, "trusted" sources.
If I want information on the financial state of Scotland I'll read Kevin's Chokka Blog. If I want general news on Scottish afairs I'll use the Scottish Review as they seem to be the only publication not accepting the SNP dictate on all matters to do with Scotland.
I also no longer accept what any government says. For example the SNP states quite clearly that the EU is our largest Export market (which it is) but they fail to tell you that 70% of those exports are to England alone. That little ommited fact makes a huge difference to ones thinking.
Actual facts can be ascertained by taking the time to examine many of Scotland's and the UK's official statistics albeit in some cases taking hours of research.
The corrective arm of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) ensures that Member States of the EU adopt appropriate policy responses to correct excessive deficits by implementing the Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP).
The EDP operationalises the limits on the budget deficit and public debt given by the thresholds of 3% of deficit to GDP and 60% of debt to GDP not diminishing at a satisfactory pace.
These limits are enshrined in Art. 126 of the Treaty and in Protocol 12 accompanying the Treaty in order to ensure sound public finances necessary for the functioning of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU).
Scotland's current deficit to GDP is at 9.4%. So to join the EU Scotland would by EU law have to implement policies that would reduce the current deficit to 3%. What's not clear about that?
For a new member to join the EU all 27 EU members must vote for them to join. If even one country does not agree then they simply don't get it. Spain, for their own good reasons, have stated very clearly they would veto Scotland joining the EU or remaining in when the UK left.
So just on those two points alone what makes you think that Scotland would even get into the EU or be allowed to remain?
The other part of the mix is that Marine Le Pen, president of the National Front party in France, who is said to be twice as popular as current French president, Francois Hollande, according to a latest poll.
Miss Le Pen has previously praised David Cameron for pledging to hold a referendum on EU membership and forcing the European Commission to “cede to the demands” of Britain.
The anti-immigration party has vowed to hold a vote just six months after it wins power during the presidential elections next year.
National Front leader Le Pen said Thursday’s historic EU referendum was a clear indication the 28-nation bloc was “decaying”, as she vowed to give her own countrymen the choice should she elected to the Elysee Palace.
She said: “I would vote for Brexit, even if I think that France has a thousand more reasons to leave than the UK.
So we also have the French Presidential elections to look forward to in 2017. And should the French vote to leave where does that leave the EU?
DUTCH populist politician Geert Wilders says he WILL use Britain's Brexit vote as a platform for The Netherlands to have a similar referendum to leave the European Union.
The right-winger told the German magazine: "The instability we're seeing in England at the moment is only temporary. In the long run, the British will profit, just like we'd profit from leaving the EU.
German Finance minister of the European powerhouse Wolfgang Schaeuble urged the the now-27 member countries to break away and take an "intergovernmental approach" to tackling problems because European Commission time frames take "took long".
Mr Schaeuble’s shock intervention adds to further speculation that the EU is on the brink of collapse as Eurosceptism sweeps the continent following the Leave vote.
Britain voted to break away from Brussels on June 23 - a momentous decision that has rocked global financial markets, thrown British politics into turmoil and raised concerns about Europe’s future prospects.
Mr Schaeuble told a local newspaper that now was a time for pragmatism, adding: "If the Commission doesn't get involved, then we should take the matter into our own hands and solve problems between governments.
The point I am making here is that all is not well inside the EU but we don't seem to be talking about this. Why not?
Alastair
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