Too rich, too small, too stupid

The Herald: "SCOTLAND'S payments to the European Union could rise from £124 million to £673m under independence, official figures suggest."

Me: Oh no! That's awful. Why?

The Herald: "An independent Scotland, with oil reserves, would become the third richest country in the EU in terms of GDP per head. "

[PAUSE]

Me: OK. I see. But...

The Herald: "It is feared this would push up payments."

Me: Yes I get that bit but isn't....

The Herald: "It is said payments would rise as an independent Scotland, with oil reserves, would be among the wealthiest EU countries in terms of GDP per head. Only the Netherlands and Luxembourg would be better off. "

Me: Yes, yes, ok. But isn't being wealthy good and paying more into the EU a sign of, and a result of, being wealthy? And a good and proper thing, too. What you're doing is like telling someone they'd be a fool to take a better job, with a massive pay rise, because they'd have more tax to pay. Are you not, for some reason I can't grasp, searching for a way to present what is essentially an argument for independence as an argument against it? Perhaps in the hope people won't read past your headline?