Spurf - do you know the result of the vote by demographic? It was obvious why Salmond wanted the voting age lowered as of course the 16 and 17 year olds have nothing to lose so to vote Yes is low risk for them. People with houses with mortgages and jobs are obviously going to be more averse to risk and more likely to vote No. I don't know the answer to this question but wondered if you did?
Yes under 55 the YES vote won. The over 65's represent some 30% of the electorate and therefore their 73% NO was crucial. People still have the idea that the UK option is low risk and that shows how we failed to get the facts over to the folk not using social media. The 16 - 18 year olds actually polled 70% No at the start of the campaign this was turned around during the campaign to 70% YES. They of course use social media the most and don't use TV or MSM, in other words our message was correct it was our delivery that failed in certain areas. This will be addressed.
Ah, so normal/old style propaganda won over electronic propaganda yes Don`t always believe what your computer/tweets/text`s tell you.
The whole thrust of our campaign was to try convince people NOT TO BELIEVE anything in the media, whether that be TV, MSM, or Internet. Our mantra was, check it out for yourself. To this end numerous booklets and leaflets were published by the YES camp advising people how to check information for themselves. This only works when people are interested in engaging in the debate. For many of the No voters this whole referendum was a challenge to their lifestyle that they did not want. They could not wait for it to go away and therefore were not interested in our information. These same people are dismayed by the fact that the YES people are refusing to get back in their box.
[video=youtube;W75NSPLJ5wk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=W75NSPLJ5wk[/video]
Spurf, I'm a little confused. You say that the over 65's basically lost the referendum for the yes vote and say that the next time it will be different. As you have researched your subject widely how do you square that with the fact that the population of over 65's is set to steadily increase. Indeed, according to General register Office of Scotland report of 2012, the population of over 75's is set to increase by 86% by 2037 while the under 20 demographic is projected to remain static or decrease in all Scottish Council areas. Are the SNP going to enfranchise 10 year-olds next time?
But some of the over 65s would have been under 65 last time. They dont magically turn no on their birthday.
Sorry Spurf, was being a little cheeky with my post. This is obviously a subject which is important to you and something i know very little about (i posted out of devilment). Thanks for the answer, if i have a decent comment to make i will post again on this thread in future
Don't do drugs, kids. Don't shout at your phone in a car when waiting for a fare, whilst wearing shades at night, either...
The war of Scottish independence is lost, it just remains now to mop up little pockets of resistance such as we have on this board.
Ah, you mean they are going to turn into a whole new breed over-65; Not worried about their pension, an uncertain future, the NHS or the fact that a youth driven culture (look at the coverage given to the far more easily malleable under 16's when the over 65's have contributed far,far more to Scotland and hardly got a look in,) makes them feel marginalised and unheard. The fact is, experience tells us, no matter who's in charge, for most of us its SSDP. Same s**t different party. To do lots of stuff a goverment needs lots of money. It has a choice. It either does less stuff and borrows a little or borrows s**tloads and does a lot but then we have to face the consequences of either decision. The one thing you do get as you get older is experience and that helps you cut through the self serving, one sided bulls**t that Labour or SNP, Yes or No, try and feed you. If you are older and feel as I described above, why would you vote for uncertainty? whichever side had the "truth" fully backed up by tons of convenient statistics and withering criticism of the others ideas backed up by their own figures. But a balanced pros and cons view of the Scotland they envisaged? Not a bit of it. The Yeses talked of a new Scotland but it campaigned for one in the same old cynical, papering over the cracks way as any other party does, trying to fool most of the people at a particular time (as did the Nos) and guess what? The over 65's see right through it and if there is a next time, more of them will be there to do it.
"But some of the over 65s would have been under 65 last time. They dont magically turn no on their birthday." They decide no on the basis of life experience, and the things that of most concern/importance to them now / in the near future. By its very definition that is the nature of age demographics. Hence the "enfranchise 10 year olds" comment made elsewhere.
