Those leading the Scottish independence fight claim that a break with the UK would benefit Scotland’s economy, but in fact the costs could be substantial, says the NYT. And is the political price of the independence movement already too high?

Without the UK, Scotland would face huge pension liabilities. Things would not be as rosy for an independent Scotland as the SNP would have its fellow countrymen believe.

Scottish hopes for independence are being clobbered from all sides. After the UK’s three main political parties stepped up efforts in their Better Together campaign last week, EU president Jose Manuel Barroso is now saying that it would be “extremely difficult, if not impossible” for an independent Scotland to gain membership in the EU. Working out a confederation within the UK while backing the UK against European overreach seems increasingly like the best bet for Scotland.

An independent Scotland, it now appears, would not be able to keep the pound in a currency union with the UK and it would not be able to charge British university students higher tuition rates than other EU students. That throws two big monkey wrenches into the SNP’s case. Voters in the referendum on September 18 may just decide to stick with the devil they know.