tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post6535624022937383146..comments2023-10-22T14:14:16.419+01:00Comments on J. Arthur MacNumpty: Is Gradualism working?Willhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10978812670312106107noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-51051544023646869902009-12-12T11:18:04.845+00:002009-12-12T11:18:04.845+00:00Good points made there - can't see how anyone ...Good points made there - can't see how anyone could disagree!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-82881062867175117792009-12-12T05:59:52.691+00:002009-12-12T05:59:52.691+00:00It's one poll. An outlier for all we know. Or ...It's one poll. An outlier for all we know. Or maybe disaster and people really are turning against the idea of independence. But I'd wait to see another one before getting all excited one way or another. It bucks a rather longstanding trend so I'd definitely want to see another before making any judgment.J. R. Tomlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01109874615059334200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-5300363209681677232009-12-08T14:30:40.913+00:002009-12-08T14:30:40.913+00:00If you are a Nationalist, then I suppose that you ...If you are a Nationalist, then I suppose that you will need to accept that you are talking about a change over generations timescale. No country ever escaped quickly and easily from the Imperial British State.<br /><br />In addition, ‘gradualism’ has just a tad to easy and linear a sound - change is likely to be what the present economic recovery prospects have been described as; shallow and corrugated but curving up. There will be bumps and downs if there are to be any highs and risings. <br /><br />On Jim Sillars, I unfortunately heard him on BBC radio Scotland Tuesday morning. It sounded like a bullying, hectoring and self-contradictory rant. Either the BBC interviewer lost control or her producer said into her earpiece 'give im the rope let him rant'(given their BBC morning radio team's overall lack of professionalism, the 'lost control' version seems most likely).<br /><br />Just one example, Jim went on and on about the other interviewee (and much of the rest of the world)not telling the truth - and then when the interviewee had the nerve to doubt the credibility of the one 'expert' that Jim quoted, Jim shot back something along the lines of 'how dare you say this man is lying!'<br /><br />I don't know Jim Sillars apart from having met him the once many years ago on very amicable terms, and I never could make my mind up about him. But I have to say that his performance on this particular stage could have come, for all the world, from one of the old Labour West of Scotland tyrants. <br /><br />That he is a climate change denier is anyway a difficult and problematic stance to adopt for a supposed progressive. Maybe Jim just spends too much time among the Gulf Oil States’ business networks now.Ted Harveynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-85212140521134177522009-12-08T04:38:09.729+00:002009-12-08T04:38:09.729+00:00I am afraid that for me Jim Sillars will always re...I am afraid that for me Jim Sillars will always represent the sad waste of a potentially great talent.<br /><br />I sometimes wonder if that is how he feels about himself.JPJ2noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19208183.post-2810217184834493132009-12-07T21:44:12.510+00:002009-12-07T21:44:12.510+00:00'On that basis, I'd say that Gradualism is...'On that basis, I'd say that Gradualism is doing exactly what it's supposed to.'<br /><br />I'm inclined to agree. I think many in Labour's top ranks have recognised this for some years now and that's why they've been so afraid of further devolution of powers (until recently...???).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com