To wonder how you're voting in the Scottish Referendum and why?

[deeedeee]

a month away from the vote thought it would be interesting to ask

( no bunfighting , derision or soundbites please. just yes or no and why. feel free to post more than once with different reasons. No links unless independent fact or opinion, nothing from the official campaigns)

I'm a YES

because Westminster's failed to protect the vunerable and the UK's me first politics have taken us down a particularly nasty path. An independent Scotland leans towards to left and can potentially choose a better route. And if a change happens in scotland then I think that that could inspire a change in the direction of politics in the rest of the UK.

But on the other hand: where is the money coming from for all these promises? I see a lot of poverty in Scotland & often think of us a poor country. Who is going to pay for it?

This is what worries me. I'm not the least bit worried about the well being of higher tax payers (they have the financial resilience to survive in bad times), but it does concern me that if a large number leave Scotland (and I assume stop paying tax here), what the overall effect will be. Also, it's all very well to say that a drop in house prices is a good thing, but what about those who have mortgages and may find themselves in negative equity should the the drop be dramatic? What will be the result of that?

I'm a solid 'No thanks' - I've not heard anything from the 'Yes' campaign that is based on fact. I am a logical person, and I do not have confidence in their promises.

I'm very interested to read this thread though, most of my friends are also in the 'No thanks' camp, so I've not heard many 'Yes' voices in day to day life.

To be honest, I just can't wait for the whole thing to be done with, whichever way it goes!

As someone undecided, One of my concerns about the yes vote is that people are voting for an ideology.

Whilst I don't disagree about our ability to self-govern, I would really like to see some unbiased facts & figures about the financial implications of independence.

One side says black, the other says white.

Will be interesting to watch tonight's debate.

It's unfair to label those who can see disadvantages to independence as fearful and selfish. You do your cause no good imo.

Remember when the SNP was given the go-ahead for a referendum? And they took almost four years to actually hold it? I assume they delayed for as long as possible in the hope that the effects of the (global) recession would be felt more after a longer time. I assume the yes vote would be smaller if there hadn't been a recession. Or there might not have been a majority SNP government and we wouldn't be having the referendum.

I would urge yes voters to remember that when they are predicting gloom for the uk they are perhaps forgetting that we are only just coming out of a recession.

I see Nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, has similar opinions to mine re the No camp.

Suppose he isn't well educated enough either.

I'm a Yes and now getting to the stage where I'm wishing I could just get on with casting my vote, and get a decision on what the future holds one way or the other so I can just adjust to the future whatever it may be.

Like others, I feel like I'm always thinking about this and not always sleeping so well at the moment at night...subconscious must be working over time!

m.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/no-camp-has-very-little-vision-claims-stiglitz-1-3520079

Forgot link.

It's unfair to label those who can see disadvantages to independence as fearful and selfish. You do your cause no good imo.

Just wanted to point out (although I don't think this is aimed at me as I haven't done this) that there have been a lot of labels and not-so-kind comments aimed at the Yes voters on this thread too.

It's a very close parallel with Scotland.
One major difference being that Scotland is actually capable of supporting itself, Quebec is not. Apparently their plan for economic independence is was hinged on Canada giving them Labrador.
Which is about as likely, and makes nearly as much sense, as the UK giving Northern Ireland to Scotland.

expat I'm still a Yes even after following each and every page of this thread.

Good to see that it's a majority Yes on this thread, because every other thread about this topic going back months has always been very much No. I can definitely see a shift....it may just be a fluke but then again mebbe no'...

No.
And there's nothing wrong in taking account of fears for the future when all the yes side can offer are uncosted wish lists and promises it's all going to be fine. I suppose when the option is woolly idealism being pragmatic might be seen as fear.
As for selfishness, yes if you think wanting to keep my job and my pension is selfish, then I suppose I am.

Apparently their plan for economic independence is was hinged on Canada giving them Labrador.

Whereas Eck's plan involves keeping the pound, apparently welching on debt and according to many of you here expecting to continue to receive favourable treatment from the UK.

Didn't the DWP send out a letter to dispel the pension myth?

I don't expect the UK Government to suddenly start treating us favourably now, I think they'll maybe try until the vote goes through to push a No vote.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to refuse to take a portion of the debt if a CU is refused. After all, if you go with the terrible economy predicted by the No campaign, wouldn't that mean that without a CU, we couldn't pay a share of the debt?

Damn right I'm selfish if the financial security of my family is threatened. I don't know anyone who wouldn't be. I've worked hard to get where I am and no, I don't want thousands wiped off the value of my home and to lose my job. I have a family to consider and my first consideration is for their welfare.

I have yet to see any real evidence that my concerns are unfounded. Until that happens my vote will be a 'no'.

It was the OP's post I was referring to Numanoid. I thought I'd point it out as thread did begin with a call for no derision!

I'm not being selfish or fearful in noticing the potential downsides to independence as I foresee my future outside of Scotland whatever the result. There will inevitably be a difficult period of transition (jobs and people will leave) but I have no doubt that Scotland would eventually do fine as an independent country. If you prize independence none of the short term difficulties should put you off your vision.

But numanoid, forcing the UK into a currency union by threatening not to take any of the debt seems wrong to me. Do you not think that people living in rUK have a right to vote on whether or not they want to be part of a currency union?

IrnBru do you think it is a shift from one vote to the other, or a shift in the people responding?

Ha ha. Try telling that one about not taking a share of debt to the international banking community. You are not comparing like with like. Same old story really, expecting favours and then whining if it doesn't go Scotland's way. Behaving like a spoilt child. Honestly I get bullied by Nats for not being proud to be Scottish why on earth would I be given the attitudes expressed here?

Santana- you really dont think the global headlines that will be generated by a yes vote will increase tourism?

really?

Whereas Eck's plan involves keeping the pound, apparently welching on debt and according to many of you here expecting to continue to receive favourable treatment from the UK.
Any of which is at least possible. Which is part of what makes them different.

Anyway, I'm just an interested bystander and don't get a vote although I'd put in a Yes vote for Cascadia if it came up but the comparison to Quebec was too embarrassing to let stand.

It's okay votingdilemma, I thought you were saying it in general, I don't like arguing either. But it's all too easy for a debate to become an argument, especially on such an important topic. Even Salmond and Darling couldn't help themselves!

Snapespotions I don't see the problem with Scotland keeping the Pound, but if rUK wanted a vote on a CU, fair enough. I know I might be jumped on for this, but there are benefits for both iScotland and rUK in a CU.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to refuse to take a portion of the debt if a CU is refused

I totally disagree, but what I think doesn't matter at all compared to how the financial markets and businesses would view such a decision. How exactly would damaging their financial credibility in such a way help an independent Scotland?

Snape- England exports a lot to Scotland. RUK not agreeing to a currency union would be cutting off their nose to spite their face. Refusing a union would risk hundreds of thousands of rUK jobs. Why should Scotland trust a government which is threatening to do this to it's own people to score a political point?

The currency union isn't a big issue for me. Lots of yes supporters would rather have sterlingisation or an independent currency. Very few see a currency union as a long term solution. It is a stepping stone.

I still think we'd be better off with sterlingisation or an independent currency than what ano vote will deliver- certainty of a stagnating economy.