A bit of scotch please....

 

 

 

Early? Hey - it is 5:00 pm somewhere!

Okay, now that I have you hooked, this has nothing to do with the fine scotch whiskey. No, this has everything to do with the country of Scotland. Today is "D-Day" for the Scottish folks. They will vote to either stay in the United Kingdom, or split off and become autonomous.

I am part Scottish. As small part, but I am proud of it anyhow. I like to drink Scotch whisky (not this early however). I have been to Scotland and talked to the people. It is drop dead gorgeous land. The people are very nice and welcoming. I wish nothing but the best for these fine people. I just hope they know what they are doing.

As we know from Greece, a country can teeter on bankruptcy. England has told Scotland if they pull out of the United Kingdom, they are on their own for a currency. This is a big issue. Also, some of the banks that now call Scotland home, have informed the Scottish Government that if they go independent, they will relocate to England. Also a big deal. The Brits have a base for their nuke subs in Scotland. Where will those subs go? The Scots get some of their energy from North Sea oil, but experts do not think it is enough to satisfy their energy and financial needs. Questions, questions, questions.

There are still over fifty countries which are part of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is not the Empire however, it is a voluntary association. The old saying that the sun never sets on the British Empire remains true to this day. My question is this - if Scotland does vote for independence, will they volunteer to still be a part of the Commonwealth? I don't know. Like most people, I have more questions than answers.

There is life after being part of the British Empire. It worked out fine for us. Unlike Canada, we decided not to be a part of the Commonwealth, although the British remain our strongest friend in Europe. If Scotland votes to leave, all I can say is "God's Speed". Should Scotland remains part of the U.K., or should it go independent, it is still one of the nicest places I have ever visited.