Am I the only one pissed off by the SNP?

[Capetan Mihali]

British jobs for British political consultants

"26 million political staffers in the Anglosphere are looking for work.  And whose jobs are they after?"

[Josquius]

Another for the pile


http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/21/scotland-independence-gordon-brown-pensions-timebomb

Eilidh Whiteford, the SNP's work and pensions spokesperson, claimed that Brown was scaremongering.

"Gordon Brown is simply repeating the same economically illiterate claims the Tories and Lib Dems made over a year ago," she said.

"On this backwards logic, the UK pensions bill is 25 times the value of its oil and gas – making it impossible for the UK to afford to pay for pensions."

"The only new thing in this contribution is that Gordon Brown has finally ended the charade and joined his Labour colleagues in the Tory no campaign.

"Far from relaunching as a positive campaign, this contribution is negative, repetitive and lacks any credibility."

[alfred russel]

Nothing demoralizing about being sent to Rural Georgia to pick cotton.  Nope.

Are those videos online?  They sound hilarious.

A found a bunch of articles, this is a good one:

http://www.cherokeetribune.com/view/full_story/14430504/article-Georgia-probationers-to-harvest-crops

Here is a sample:

On the first two days, all the probationers quit by mid-afternoon, said Mendez, one of two crew leaders at Minor's farm.

"Those guys out here weren't out there 30 minutes and they got the bucket and just threw them in the air and say, 'Bonk this, I ain't with this, I can't do this,"' said Jermond Powell, a 33-year-old probationer. "They just left, took off across the field walking."

Mendez put the probationers to the test last Wednesday, assigning them to fill one truck and a Latino crew to a second truck. The Latinos picked six truckloads of cucumbers compared to one truckload and four bins for the probationers.

I only found one video, which isn't really funny - it isn't going into results of how it is working. I have to give the guys credit for giving the work a shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRTmk6vMENU

I'm somewhat amused by the thought of what convinced the governor to do this.

[Valmy]

Man so it looks like the Scots are going to leave the UK and the UK is going to leave the EU.  Fuck I liked it better in 1989 when our enemies were collapsing.

[jimmy olsen]

Five monts is an eternity in an election like this. It'll swing back and forth a few more times before shaking out one way or the other.

Seriously, though, if neccessary the Brits should use force to keep the country together.

[garbon]

Five monts is an eternity in an election like this. It'll swing back and forth a few more times before shaking out one way or the other.

I have to agree with Tim (), give it a few months before getting upset.

[alfred russel]

Man so it looks like the Scots are going to leave the UK and the UK is going to leave the EU.  Fuck I liked it better in 1989 when our enemies were collapsing.

Voters in middling 1st world democracies are like teenage girls. Sometimes they need to cut themselves to feel alive.

[Sheilbh]

Five monts is an eternity in an election like this. It'll swing back and forth a few more times before shaking out one way or the other.

Two reasons.

As I mentioned according to psephologists historically referendum polls generally strengthen the 'no' vote. As campaigns go people tend more to the status quo. The only example of that not being the case is Quebec. The final result there: yes - 49.42%, no - 50.58%. It's not a promising precedent.

Second reason is mentioned in that Massie piece:

Salmond is also a formidable late-stage campaigner. Two months before the 2011 Holyrood election, he languished 15 points behind in the polls — but went on to win an outright majority, in a voting system designed so no party would ever win an outright majority. No wonder senior strategists in No. 10 are said to believe Salmond's victory is not just possible, but likely.

Look at the polls here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_in_the_Scottish_Parliament_election,_2011
Five months before that election the SNP were in the low 30s. He won that election with 45% of the vote (a Westminster PM would kill for that sort of mandate). Salmond's the most formidable politician in the country and this is the vote he's been getting ready for all his life.

At the minute the 'yes' vote is 3 points behind 'no' and as Massie points out once someone's decided they're voting for independence it's far more difficult to get that vote back. That person's Overton window has shifted. It's definitely time to panic and throw everything at it.

Seriously, though, if neccessary the Brits should use force to keep the country together.

[Ed Anger]

Force. Hilarious. 5 bobbies with nightsticks.

WOTS ALL THIS THEN?

[garbon]

What is Valmy going to throw at it?

[Josquius]

I can only hope the natural northern british inclination to say one thing to appear hard whilst you actually think totally different as it play with the poll numbers.
It really defies logic how such terrible and transparent SNP campaigning is changing people  from being sensible to idiocy (which IMO Scottish independence would be nothing short of)

[mongers]

Five monts is an eternity in an election like this. It'll swing back and forth a few more times before shaking out one way or the other.

Seriously, though, if neccessary the Brits should use force to keep the country together.

Tim, with all due respect, you're a Fucking Idiot. 

[alfred russel]

Sheilbh, the betting odds indicate that the independence cause is a clear underdog.

[Sheilbh]

Sheilbh, the betting odds indicate that the independence cause is a clear underdog.

Definitely. The no vote's had a consistent lead in the polls and at heart Scotland's a conservative country. I'd bet that they'll stay.

But I think that's meant the no campaign have been very complacent. I think London's only just waking up to the fact that the SNP could win. Salmond's a great politician and very good at finishing campaigns strongly. The polls are going down the Quebec route which is itself worrying. The no lead is narrowing in most polls.

It's not likely yet, though apparently that's what No. 10 are thinking, but it is alarmingly possible.

[jimmy olsen]

Five monts is an eternity in an election like this. It'll swing back and forth a few more times before shaking out one way or the other.

Seriously, though, if neccessary the Brits should use force to keep the country together.

Tim, with all due respect, you're a Fucking Idiot.

Poll incoming.