Scott Free: Scotland's Bid to Become its Own Country Again

Fontana, CA – Last year it was decided with Royal Assent that on September 18 of 2014 a referendum would be held in Scotland bearing the question "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

In 1603 Queen Elisabeth died without leaving an heir. A knight saddled up and rode through the night to tell the king of Scotland the good/bad news. The bad news was his aunt was dead, (or was it the other way round?) the good news was he was now king of England. And so James VI of Scotland became James I of England, he translated his famous Bible, and two countries of Scotland and England united and stopped fighting, (sort of) and merged into The United Kingdom.

But now Scotland is, like the proverbial Prodigal Son, wishing to leave its father’s house. For a long time now there have been stirrings in Scotland, of people wishing for Home Rule. The fires stoked by the Scottish Independence Party, although dropped from the Labor Party’s agenda. (England and Scotland’s form of Democrats.)

All three major parties in England are favoring the campaign “Better Together,” and trying to keep Scotland in, even offering greater autonomy. Some have even suggested that David Cameron, the Prime Minister of England and a Tori, should Scotland secede, may have to resign, as he has so identified with keeping Scotland with England.

David Cameron, Prime Minister of Great Brittan
and opponent of Scottish Referendum.

As for his major opponents, the Labor party, they also have much to lose. Even though they are expected, in the upcoming election to win a majority, along with their coalition, in the house of Commons, if in 2014, Scotland were to vote to leave, in 2016, when the date would be set for actual break away, Miliband, head of Labor would find himself losing 40 members of parliament, and possibly his new found majority.

For a long time it looked like the referendum would receive a decided NO vote. But now, suddenly, the polls are showing a slight lead for the YES vote. Officials are now scrambling in England to call Scotland back, with the days ticking down to the vote. Even reminding them that they will not be able to use the British Pound should they decide to succeed.

There are now nine days left. The stocks in England and elsewhere have fallen due to fear of a YES. Were Scotland to vote YES, and leave, no one is quite sure what would happen next. They have been a part of the Empire for four-hundred years and more. Ever since that night when the rider galloped through the night with the news. Much has changed, but Scotland is still Scotland, and they now have the chance to decide if they want to, as they always did before that night, sometimes on rough roads and sometimes on smooth, go it alone.

Andrew C. Abbott

Ronald Reagan: 1981

One of the greatest speeches of a man who united both Democrats and Republicans, and for whom everyone still seems to have nothing but good things to say.

The M Word (the midterms)

Fontana, CA – In sixty-one days that other election is going to happen. No, it’s not 2016 yet, although you might think that if you watched the already beginning of jockeying for position in both of the major parties. It’s the election cycles that is, although not as exiting, definitely equal in importance to that of the race for president. After all, a president whose party controls neither house of congress is not likely to get much done, no matter how good his ideas are.

Of course, there is not one central candidate for everyone to get excited about. No massive debates watched by the entire nation as men and women attempt to gain their party’s nomination. Instead this is the year of smalls. 435 small elections, to be exact. (That is, compared to the race for president, house elections are small, huge amounts of money are still spent.) Not only is the entire House of Representatives being voted into the 114^th congress, 38 governors and 33 senators will also be chosen.

Although the president is still secure in office, except for the distant and unlikely chance of impeachment, once the new congress is voted in in his sixth year he is considered a lame duck. The entire dynamic of the politics in Washington DC is changed. He cannot help them get reelected, and so the president loses some of his power.

During the last midterm elections there was a Republican net gain, due to the passing of the Affordable Care Act. (Obama Care) Now that it has come into action, the Dems have even more issues to worry about. Many pundits not only think that the Republicans will hold onto to the House, but they may flip at least six of the eleven seats where sitting or outgoing Democrats are either themselves or are leaving weak replacements to fight against rising Republican ire and momentum.

But of course, there is the little difficulty of the fact that these are the Midterms. There is always lower voter turnout in-between presidential years. (Turnout is much lower in those years anyway.) As the elections approach, the American people need to remember that this is still an important year. Even if the Republicans do win the presidency in 2016, if they lose the house, (which traditionally takes a long time to flip again) they could find themselves with a Republican president unable to get anything done due to Gridlock. In other words, if we neglect the M word we may soon be dealing with the G word.

 

Andrew C. Abbott

A Broken Reid

The Inland Empire, CA – Around forty years ago Harry Reid launched himself into politics. Although he lost an initial election attempt, he recovered, and now sits proudly as the Democratic majority leader of the senate.

Less than two weeks ago Reid spoke as the gathering of the Asian Chamber of Commerce in Las Vegas. The speech is now remembered because of a remark seen by many as racist, which was so offensive to some of those present that they have since given their endorsement to the opponent of the candidate Reid was endorsing that night.

However, there is something else, not mentioned in all the outlets, although some covered it, that happened that night that is telling. While there Reid also mentioned a book. “I would recommend it to everyone,” Reid said. “It’s called Dowager Empress Cixi. Read that. It’s a best seller. It’s a great book. Everyone should read that. … This remarkable woman did so much for China.” Although he got the title wrong by just a little bit, the true story in the book is interesting.

The author, Jung Chang, writes of Cixi: “In some four decades of absolute power, her political killings, whether just or unjust … were no more than a few dozen, many in response to plots to kill her,” Four decades. The time Harry Reid has been in politics. Jon Ralston, a political writer, said of this “the parallels are clear.” A person trying to hold onto power no matter what the cost.

Recently, Reid, who is now 74, and apparently feeling it, has seemed to be slowing down. There is even the occasional whisper that he might not even run for reelection in 2016. He is currently in her fifth term in the senate. Among his more famous current happenings is an attack on the previously unheard of Koch brothers, billionaire conservatives, who he claims are “un-American” and trying to buy senate seats by pumping millions of dollars into campaigns all across the country.

Just recently, a large cutout of Harry Reid was placed at the Americans for Prosperity summit in Dallas. Everyone from Ted Cruz, Michael Pence, Rand Paul and Rick Perry showed up, as did the Koch brothers, the candidates showed up to remind everyone about themselves as 2016 draws closer, and also to bash Harry Reid, deriding him as a man who attacks the 1% while living at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and having a chauffeur.

The brothers assumedly showed to help them begin to get an idea about which horse to bet on in the presidential race. Their money could make an interesting talking point in 2016. But by then people may remember all the liberal millionaires and billionaires that donate, and be less concerned about the Koch family.

The cutout of Reid got a lot of attention, with people reportedly lining up to take pictures of themselves with him. Some punching him in the mouth, others giving him rabbit ears, others just taking selfies of themselves with one of the club of 100.

Reid may or may not run again in 2016, and if he does, he may or may not win. Forty years around politics is a long time. He has grandchildren, and he is getting older. His gaffes are becoming more regular, and his ramblings reportedly more pronounced. Within the last few months he made headlines by being admitted to the hospital. But perhaps worst of all for him is he has hit at the Koch brothers, a duo who could drown his opponent’s campaign in so much money, that even if Reid wins, his image could come out so battered that he could lost much of his authority in the senate.

One wonders why he attacked the brothers. But perhaps after forty years, he just didn’t much care anymore. Or perhaps he isn’t even planning to run again, although currently he still says he is. Whatever the case about Reid and the Koch brothers, one is reminded of the old movie line “they are coming for you.”

Andrew C. Abbott