I would add 'Humility' to the list of things seriously lacking in the current supposedly pro-independence parties.
Especially the SNP. When it comes time to draw up a manifesto for an election.... it's a nice wee showboating occasion for a party. Locking themselves away and, like moses...coming down from the mountain with their manifesto carved in stone and in secret. For a party leadership to say..'okay folks... there's a really good manifesto that says pretty much everything that we need it to...but we didn't write it...someone else did but we think it's a great plan and perfectly fits the bill and so we're adopting it and we'd like you to vote for it' - that takes humility. Along with all the other deficiencies they have this lack of humility will likely (IMO) lead to the potential of NOT getting the majority they need for their feeble strategy or just getting the door of number 10 slammed on their arse as they leave with their section 30 request wedged between their cheeks if they they do get it. In which case I hope their pride comes before a fall and 'lone voices' like yours finally gets heard within the movement. Please keep shouting!
Unfortunately Peter I think the ONLY solution left to us is getting rid of Holyrood in it's entirety as nobody within these walls are listening or even interested. Keep up the good work as you I do enjoy listening to reason.
Respectfully I think we need to press the reset button on the Westminster branch office, rebuild from the bottom up but with a parliament NOT operating within the confines of Westminster Rules.
Nothing wrong with being a voice in the wilderness, I've been that often enough, in my previous life it was part of my expertise. Doesn't make you right, but it doesn't make you wrong either.
It's important to voice these opinions anyway. It might modify things a bit for the better, but even if not, it might help improve the quality of the arguments against.
You have to keep going Peter. If one Scot listens and understands what is happening /happened to Scotland and they share that knowledge ..it is worthwhile.
Yesterday I watched what happened to Scotland. A foreign nation ..england... gave another foreign nation ..America.... permission to land troops on OUR land...I'll say it again..OUR land. These mysterious troops then attacked another foreign nation while we were impotent to do anything about it. ...we couldn't anyway because the foreign english government didn't even bother to TELL the Scottish government what was happening in OUR land..how's that for disrespect? Our pathetic FM complained and then said that he agreed with the action taken by America.We have a real piece of excrement at the wheel. No apology from the english foreigners who run our country of course cos it's only Scotland and you can do what you like there ... the natives haven't a clue what is happening around them.
The Scottish government..or what passes for one must refuse Devolution. This is a con...it means we are impotent in certain aspects of running OUR country. Decisions like allowing foreigners to use our land for battle is DEVOLVED to the foreign english. The Bruce must be turning in his grave.
As for our political parties..they all appear to suffer from self aggrandisement...the action of promoting oneself as being powerful or important. What is a symptom?..the act of NOT LISTENING.
We have warriors in Scotland...Andy Wightman fighting for OUR land which is being used by foreigners as an investment portfolio..while we are just the peasants who get in the way. Read his blog. The rest of us must make it a HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT for the foreign english and people like Polveson who grab huge chunks of OUR land and would destroy our culture..our political will.....our very freedom.... as William said in Braveheart..('and let the english see you do it'.)
Keep going Peter..information the lifeblood of a country.
In actuality, there are plans available to the pro independence parties. Sadly there is quite simply no visible interest from any of these parties in adopting a viable alternative to those they are purporting to be our "road to an independent Scotland". They all appear to adhere to a Section 30 route, which will turn out to be more of a cul-de-sac; albeit one that will keep them in a comfortably rewarded career for another five years.
Lack of imagination, flexibility, and strategic thinking. The party leadership adopts a strategy, policy or position handed to them by advisors, and that's the end of the matter. Anybody then questioning this choice or even suggesting it might be improved is accused of disloyalty. The strategy, policy, or position remains fixed for no better reason than that it has been decided upon by the 'wiser heads' at the top of the party.
There is no flexibility. Flexibility is critical for strategic thinking. You have to know that a strategy, policy, or position CAN be changed if you are to start thinking about how it might be changed.
The world changes rapidly. Politicians think slowly, if at all. The world is wide. Politicians' minds are narrow. Realpolitik is deep. Politicians are shallow. Politics is hard. Politicians are weak.
Because there is space for it in your mind. There is no space for fresh perspectives in John Swinney's mind. Or Kenny MacAskill's. Or Angus MacNeil. O any of them.
I would add 'Humility' to the list of things seriously lacking in the current supposedly pro-independence parties.
Especially the SNP. When it comes time to draw up a manifesto for an election.... it's a nice wee showboating occasion for a party. Locking themselves away and, like moses...coming down from the mountain with their manifesto carved in stone and in secret. For a party leadership to say..'okay folks... there's a really good manifesto that says pretty much everything that we need it to...but we didn't write it...someone else did but we think it's a great plan and perfectly fits the bill and so we're adopting it and we'd like you to vote for it' - that takes humility. Along with all the other deficiencies they have this lack of humility will likely (IMO) lead to the potential of NOT getting the majority they need for their feeble strategy or just getting the door of number 10 slammed on their arse as they leave with their section 30 request wedged between their cheeks if they they do get it. In which case I hope their pride comes before a fall and 'lone voices' like yours finally gets heard within the movement. Please keep shouting!
Unfortunately Peter I think the ONLY solution left to us is getting rid of Holyrood in it's entirety as nobody within these walls are listening or even interested. Keep up the good work as you I do enjoy listening to reason.
Then what?
We need the parliament. But we need to make it ours again.
Respectfully I think we need to press the reset button on the Westminster branch office, rebuild from the bottom up but with a parliament NOT operating within the confines of Westminster Rules.
Why?
Nothing wrong with being a voice in the wilderness, I've been that often enough, in my previous life it was part of my expertise. Doesn't make you right, but it doesn't make you wrong either.
It's important to voice these opinions anyway. It might modify things a bit for the better, but even if not, it might help improve the quality of the arguments against.
You have to keep going Peter. If one Scot listens and understands what is happening /happened to Scotland and they share that knowledge ..it is worthwhile.
Yesterday I watched what happened to Scotland. A foreign nation ..england... gave another foreign nation ..America.... permission to land troops on OUR land...I'll say it again..OUR land. These mysterious troops then attacked another foreign nation while we were impotent to do anything about it. ...we couldn't anyway because the foreign english government didn't even bother to TELL the Scottish government what was happening in OUR land..how's that for disrespect? Our pathetic FM complained and then said that he agreed with the action taken by America.We have a real piece of excrement at the wheel. No apology from the english foreigners who run our country of course cos it's only Scotland and you can do what you like there ... the natives haven't a clue what is happening around them.
The Scottish government..or what passes for one must refuse Devolution. This is a con...it means we are impotent in certain aspects of running OUR country. Decisions like allowing foreigners to use our land for battle is DEVOLVED to the foreign english. The Bruce must be turning in his grave.
As for our political parties..they all appear to suffer from self aggrandisement...the action of promoting oneself as being powerful or important. What is a symptom?..the act of NOT LISTENING.
We have warriors in Scotland...Andy Wightman fighting for OUR land which is being used by foreigners as an investment portfolio..while we are just the peasants who get in the way. Read his blog. The rest of us must make it a HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT for the foreign english and people like Polveson who grab huge chunks of OUR land and would destroy our culture..our political will.....our very freedom.... as William said in Braveheart..('and let the english see you do it'.)
Keep going Peter..information the lifeblood of a country.
For OUR Scotland and her mushroom weans.
I can't stop. I've tried to walk away. Just can't do it.
Good. It's a thankless job but somebody has to do it.
The practical problem for the ostensibly pro-Independence parties at the moment are two-fold:
They have no workable plan to achieve their supposed main aim and reason for being
and
According to opinion polling of voting intentions British Unionist-Nationalist (BUN) parties currently enjoy a majority in both ballots
If they sorted out the former they might find that the latter took care of itself.
In actuality, there are plans available to the pro independence parties. Sadly there is quite simply no visible interest from any of these parties in adopting a viable alternative to those they are purporting to be our "road to an independent Scotland". They all appear to adhere to a Section 30 route, which will turn out to be more of a cul-de-sac; albeit one that will keep them in a comfortably rewarded career for another five years.
Lack of imagination, flexibility, and strategic thinking. The party leadership adopts a strategy, policy or position handed to them by advisors, and that's the end of the matter. Anybody then questioning this choice or even suggesting it might be improved is accused of disloyalty. The strategy, policy, or position remains fixed for no better reason than that it has been decided upon by the 'wiser heads' at the top of the party.
There is no flexibility. Flexibility is critical for strategic thinking. You have to know that a strategy, policy, or position CAN be changed if you are to start thinking about how it might be changed.
The world changes rapidly. Politicians think slowly, if at all. The world is wide. Politicians' minds are narrow. Realpolitik is deep. Politicians are shallow. Politics is hard. Politicians are weak.
Ergo, we need better politicians.
The practical plan that they should adopt is the #ManifestoforIndependence and #ScottishUDI process.
That was the one that was in my mind during my previous comment.
Because there is space for it in your mind. There is no space for fresh perspectives in John Swinney's mind. Or Kenny MacAskill's. Or Angus MacNeil. O any of them.