tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post3417470326751777891..comments2023-10-23T17:07:34.238+00:00Comments on Hoff Limits: Salmond fishingMike Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06301650532274665517noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post-75395486537840233152012-02-20T12:37:26.722+00:002012-02-20T12:37:26.722+00:00How might one reconcile Salmond's pragmatism w...How might one reconcile Salmond's pragmatism with a supposed effort to "scupper his own referendum"? Rather a glaring contradiction.<br /><br />There is no doubt that Salmond has his reasons for adopting the position he has on a "more powers" option. But someone who, by their own admission, doesn't know much about Scottish politics is hardly the first person one would go to for an informed view of those reasons.<br /><br />Anyone seeking an understanding of Salmond's motives for dropping this particular pebble in pond of constitutional debate could do worse than look at what effect it has had. At the very least, it has left the anti-independence campaign split and even more confused than it already was. Salmond has forced the Tory/Labour/LibDem coalition into a position where they expend most of their efforts attacking something that the SNP is not proposing and does not want rather than addressing the real issue of Scotland's secessio0n from the union.<br /><br />In doing so, they inevitably make themselves look reactionary and anti-democratic - vehemently opposed to allowing the people of Scotland a democratic choice just as they were right up to 7 May 2011 when they were forced to abandon their fanatical opposition to a referendum under any circumstances.<br /><br />Look at what is happening! Having been forced to admit that the <i>status quo</i> is untenable the unionists are now arguing against the only other alternative to independence.<br /><br />And supposing this "more powers" option did find its way on to the ballot and supposing it won. Is that a defeat for the independence campaign? Far from it! About the only thing about "devo-max" that everyone agrees on is that it cannot actually work in practice. At that very worst it would postpone independence for a year or two.<br /><br />As to the practicalities of including a "more powers" option on the ballot, that would be a matter for whoever proposes such an option. As Alex Salmond has not and will not make such a proposal it is not his problem.<br /><br />Never make the mistake of underestimating Alex Salmond and his team. They are a truly formidable political force such as is highly unlikely to make the mistake of scuppering their own campaign.Peter A Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14204261467942498747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post-72437875125608495372012-02-19T22:29:19.080+00:002012-02-19T22:29:19.080+00:00Believe it or not, I'd be happy for Scotland t...Believe it or not, I'd be happy for Scotland to go its own way - I certainly beat no drum for the Union, especially if those north of the border feel co-opted into it. <br /><br />My belief that Salmond might favour a "more powers" option is because he is a politician. All politicians are, at heart, pragmatists, and I was trying to work out why he was trying to scupper his own referendum. I may not know much about Scottish politics, but I do know about designing questionnaires. A two-question referendum where one question presupposes a particular answer to the other is not the way I would do it if I were after a clear decision about independence.Mike Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06301650532274665517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post-25553823767892448072012-02-19T11:30:45.673+00:002012-02-19T11:30:45.673+00:00I didn't "fail to address" your &quo...I didn't "fail to address" your "central point". I observed that you didn't have one. You don't have a point because the thing that you imagine to be a point is founded on a fallacy. A fallacy that is evidenced by your use of the word "keen" in relation to Salmond's attitude to a "more powers" option on the referendum ballot.<br /><br />Alex Salmond has made it abundantly clear that he, and the Scottish National Party, will support and campaign for <b>only</b> independence.<br /><br />The First Minister and the Scottish government have intimated that a "more powers" option might be considered if such an option was formulated and proposed by another party and if there was evidence of widespread support for the inclusion of such an option.<br /><br />Much of the anti-independence propaganda in the unionist media has caricatured this democratic openness as enthusiasm for a "more powers" option. You appear to have been taken in by this.<br /><br />I suppose such propaganda has to work on somebody. Thanks for volunteering.Peter A Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14204261467942498747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post-11214931968461404172012-02-18T23:38:08.589+00:002012-02-18T23:38:08.589+00:00Apologies, I didn't realise it was me being ch...Apologies, I didn't realise it was me being childish with the little ad hominem quip that didn't address the points I was making. I thought that was you. <br /><br />You fail to address my central point: why is Salmond so keen to get Devo-plus/max onto the independence ballot? It can only harm his chances of winning the independence question. What happens if both independence and Devo-plus get +50% but the latter by a greater margin? This is a real possibility not a hypothetical angels-on-a-pinhead question. Surely it undermines the case for independence? Why would he even want to compromise the chance of independence with an ambiguous result? It seems very odd to me if his motives are that pure. <br /><br />Please give me a reasonable answer as to why additional questions on the ballot that presuppose a failure of the independence question wiill be better for achieving a yes on independence and I'll gladly concede the point.Mike Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06301650532274665517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post-70028665644556067052012-02-18T12:55:35.188+00:002012-02-18T12:55:35.188+00:00Don't be childish! The fact is that few politi...Don't be childish! The fact is that few politicians in recent times have been subject to a concerted campaign of mindless vilification as Alex Salmond. All of which campaign has been been and continues to be conducted while its perpetrators hide behind an all too transparent veil of contrived righteous indignation about supposed <i>ad hominem</i> attacks and the activities of so-called "Cybernats" who are, in reality, but a pale shadow of the truly rabid "Cyberbrit".<br /><br />Alex Salmond manages to be quite grown-up about such things. You should try following his example.<br /><br />My own little dig was aimed, not at you as individual - for all I know you might be utterly charming and loveable - but at the ill-informed nature of your comments. In particular, the suggestion in your final paragraph that Salmond is somehow backing away from the core principle of the restoration of Scotland's rightful constitutional status. A suggestion which is ridiculous on the face of it.Peter A Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14204261467942498747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post-28602143842353314252012-02-18T12:00:56.306+00:002012-02-18T12:00:56.306+00:00Looks like Salmond isn't the only one who does...Looks like Salmond isn't the only one who does ad hominem in Scottish politics...Mike Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06301650532274665517noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34812312.post-33554866259749812592012-02-17T23:31:12.900+00:002012-02-17T23:31:12.900+00:00"I don't often give much thought to Scott..."I don't often give much thought to Scottish politics..."<br /><br />Evidently, today was no exception.Peter A Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14204261467942498747noreply@blogger.com