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Cowen makes Newsweek's 'Top 10 Leaders' list

  • 18-08-2010 12:43PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,889 ✭✭✭✭


    Is this some sort of joke?

    http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/cowen-makes-newsweeks-top-10-leaders-list-469770.html
    The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been included in a list of the top 10 leaders in the world.

    In its report, Newsweek magazine said that, along with Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, Mr Cowen has pushed through austerity packages drastic enough to win the admiration of the international community.

    But despite awarding him the title of 'Fiscal Taskmaster', the magazine said: "…The Irish aren't showing much gratitude - Cowen's ratings have plunged to a mere 18%, and his Fianna Fáil party can expect a drubbing in the 2012 national elections."

    However, the magazine added that : "There's some hope that (Cowen's) government's unpopular measures will be rewarded in the long run."


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Comments

  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 43,701 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    "There's some hope that (Cowen's) government's unpopular measures will be rewarded in the long run."
    ...by their buddies in the banking and construction industries.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,889 ✭✭✭✭For Forks Sake


    This line
    The Irish aren't showing much gratitude
    is so ridiculous I don't know where to start with it - it could have been written by the FF press office, I re-read the articl for the customary mention of "tough decisions"


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,271 ✭✭✭kev9100


    Are they high or something?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 961 ✭✭✭LookBehindYou


    Was that the 1st April edition ?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,161 ✭✭✭Ren2k7


    If the yanks love him so much they're more than welcome to take him and his party of idiots.

    They seem to forget who it was that brought this country to its knees in the first place.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭Mr.Micro


    "There's some hope that (Cowen's) government's unpopular measures will be rewarded in the long run."

    FF are hoping for that as well....

    With regard to dishing out the austerity medicine some are getting honey whilst most get the bitter pill. Newsweek must have little to write about with a story like this. No mention of the fact that Biffo was to blame as Finance Minister for allowing much of the financial debacle to occur in the first place.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,980 ✭✭✭limklad


    Was that the 1st April edition ?
    It is their attempt for Free Advertising to get people to read their mag. All this article displays is the height of Stupid poorly research Journalism and lack of understanding of the background which led to Ireland deep recession (more like Depression) which cause the Austerity measures to be put there in the first place.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 354 ✭✭BehindTheScenes


    That article is more than likely based on poor journalistic work. The author probably skimmed through a few articles on the crisis and saw key words such as 'Cowen, fiscal deficit, cutting public sector wages.' They probably didn't delve any further than that and are ignorant to the fact that the majority of the crisis is down to him and the Bert.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 331 ✭✭simplistic2


    Besides that obvious joke , nobody that goes into politics is a leader anyway. He/she is a follower because they subscribe to the status quo do exactly which was done before them.

    These people are not leaders they are sheep.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,693 ✭✭✭Laminations


    Its all the international community care about. Figures on the balance sheet. They dont care that he is actually an uninspiring leader, they dont care that he was the incompetent at the helm that steered ireland onto the rocks, they dont care about the social consequences of FFs actions or the perceived fairness amongst the population, all they care about is getting money back on their investments, and Cowen kowtowing to the banks is what they like to see. Did they comment on why we have the largest budget deficit or rising unemployment and emigration? did they comment on why our bank bailout was said to be the cheapest but is now the dearest in the world?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 234 ✭✭scr123


    What a slap in the face for the ABFF !!! Completely out of the blue a high profile international magazine states what the intelligent people of Ireland like me have been saying for yonks !! Played golf this morning with the lads and I had this smirk on my face that will take plastic surgery to remove. Had a spring in my step and played the best round in a while.

    EAT YOUR HEARTS OUT ABFF !!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,080 ✭✭✭hallelujajordan


    That article is more than likely based on poor journalistic work.

    For god's sake this is Newsweek; one of the two biggest news magazines in the world . .

    This is not poor journalism ! It is a valuable external perspective and one I have long argued exists.

    We have become so caught up in blaming FF for everything; so unable to view our situation in the context of a global depression; so concerned about our own individual wellbeing and so uprepared to accept our own roles in creating 'the bubble' that we have lost all perspective.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,693 ✭✭✭Laminations


    For god's sake this is Newsweek; one of the two biggest news magazines in the world . .

    This is not poor journalism ! It is a valuable external perspective and one I have long argued exists.

    We have become so caught up in blaming FF for everything; so unable to view our situation in the context of a global depression; so concerned about our own individual wellbeing and so uprepared to accept our own roles in creating 'the bubble' that we have lost all perspective.

    I've said it before but even if FF do a stirling job at cleaning up this mess, that doesn't overshadow the fact that they did a stirling job at making the mess worse in the first place - they have to go. Would you employ Sean Fitzpatrick to fix the bank he wrecked? Would you have let Roddy Molloy stay on to combat the mismanagement in FAS?

    And our own roles are being accepted as people struggle with their overpriced mortgages - remind me again how many loans are going into NAMA? 2000 developers with 80billion debt? Yes that deserves proportionate blame to all society. Cowen is a disgrace


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,080 ✭✭✭hallelujajordan


    I've said it before but even if FF do a stirling job at cleaning up this mess, that doesn't overshadow the fact that they did a stirling job at making the mess worse in the first place - they have to go. Would you employ Sean Fitzpatrick to fix the bank he wrecked? Would you have let Roddy Molloy stay on to combat the mismanagement in FAS?
    If they are best positioned to fix the mess, then they are best positioned to stay in government. To do anything else would be cutting your nose to spite your face.
    And our own roles are being accepted as people struggle with their overpriced mortgages - remind me again how many loans are going into NAMA? 2000 developers with 80billion debt? Yes that deserves proportionate blame to all society. Cowen is a disgrace
    Your example implies that when loans go into NAMA they disappear . . this isn't true, developers and those who worked in the construction industry are now struggling more than most

    http://www.propertyweek.com/comment/irish-property-community-reels-from-29-suicides-in-last-12-months/5000968.article


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,903 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    I've said it before but even if FF do a stirling job at cleaning up this mess, that doesn't overshadow the fact that they did a stirling job at making the mess worse in the first place - they have to go.

    absolutely 100% agree

    getting uis through this current situation may be admirable to some but it does not make up for what they caused


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    If they are best positioned to fix the mess, then they are best positioned to stay in government. To do anything else would be cutting your nose to spite your face.

    That's a massive "IF"; there are no facts to support it.
    Your example implies that when loans go into NAMA they disappear . .

    As we are regularly told by FF apologists, we don't know that yet.

    But the billions going into Anglo definitely disappear, and that's another of FF's choices!

    Cowen is a disgrace....even assuming that he's managed to make a few "tough decisions" about 4 years too late, he's the equivalent of a striker who has scored 50 own goals over the last 3 years and managed to score one half-decent one this season, while simultaneously costing the club at least €30 billion through bad decisions made this season.

    On balance, with everything taken into account, he and his party are a MASSIVE liability to this country.
    developers and those who worked in the construction industry are now struggling more than most

    Why ? Because the building rate for overpriced houses was unsustainable ? That just means the jobs were never really viable or sustainable.

    Any developer who has borrowed and lost billions - tough! They overstretched and gambled.

    Any small developer who did good work, charged fairly, and borrowed sensibly, then I have the ultimate respect and sympathy for; but that would make them just like most of us - hammered by an oversized impact of a recession because of FF policies.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,903 ✭✭✭✭Riskymove


    Liam Byrne wrote: »
    That's a massive "IF"; there are no facts to support it.

    its lazy conjecture

    no different from 'it would be even worse now IF FG/LAB had been in charge'

    hardly strong argument for voting for FF


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,080 ✭✭✭hallelujajordan


    Liam Byrne wrote: »
    That's a massive "IF"; there are no facts to support it.



    As we are regularly told by FF apologists, we don't know that yet.

    Agreed, it is conjecture . . I was reacting to Laminations argument about "if they do a stirling job at cleaning up the mess" . . If they do a stirling job between now and 2012 when we will have the next election then I will argue that they are best positioned to take the country forward for the next 5 years..
    Cowen is a disgrace....even assuming that he's managed to make a few "tough decisions" about 4 years too late, he's the equivalent of a striker who has scored 50 own goals over the last 3 years and managed to score one half-decent one this season, while simultaneously costing the club at least €30 billion through bad decisions made this season.

    Thats a fairly dodgy analogy but sacking your striker just when he has turned a corner and is beginning to show the best form of his career is probably not the best management decision in footballing terms

    Any developer who has borrowed and lost billions - tough! They overstretched and gambled.

    Any small developer who did good work, charged fairly, and borrowed sensibly, then I have the ultimate respect and sympathy for; but that would make them just like most of us - hammered by an oversized impact of a recession because of FF policies.

    I agree with all of that and I am not defending the developers. . . Simply correcting the misperception being peddled that the developers are getting an easy ride while the rest of us suffer. . .

    Not true, they probably deserve to but they are certainly suffering more than most


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,080 ✭✭✭hallelujajordan


    Riskymove wrote: »

    its lazy conjecture

    no different from 'it would be even worse now IF FG/LAB had been in charge'

    hardly strong argument for voting for FF

    Nor was it meant to be . . I was merely following the conjecture initiated by another poster. .
    When there is an election to be fought I will be happy to put forward a strong argument for voting for FF . . without any lazy conjecture . . :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,733 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    Its all the international community care about. Figures on the balance sheet. They dont care that he is actually an uninspiring leader, they dont care that he was the incompetent at the helm that steered ireland onto the rocks, they dont care about the social consequences of FFs actions or the perceived fairness amongst the population, all they care about is getting money back on their investments, and Cowen kowtowing to the banks is what they like to see. Did they comment on why we have the largest budget deficit or rising unemployment and emigration? did they comment on why our bank bailout was said to be the cheapest but is now the dearest in the world?

    Bash Cowen and his actions all you want but you fail to make any coherent point. The alternatives were little better.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 778 ✭✭✭Essexboy


    Bash Cowen and his actions all you want but you fail to make any coherent point. The alternatives were little better.

    Cowen does not make hard decisions. Every time he has been faced with a problem which requires a personal decison he has bottled it eg FAS and Molloy, Pat Neary. And of course, there is his refusal to deal with Ivor Callelly.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭OhNoYouDidn't



    This is not poor journalism ! It is a valuable external perspective and one I have long argued exists.

    On this you are right and its always interesting to read an inherently neutral and non partisan view.

    But in this case they are simply wrong. We aren't being 'ungrategful' because of austerity measures that are needed. We are angry because of NAMA, Anglo and the naked corruption that pervades FF - they are closing hospitals to bail out their mates.

    Read this for why we aren't exactly grateful for Biffo's stewardship of the economy.

    http://archives.tcm.ie/businesspost/2010/08/15/story51081.asp


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,934 ✭✭✭OhNoYouDidn't


    Bash Cowen and his actions all you want but you fail to make any coherent point. The alternatives were little better.

    Well lets have an election and see if people have changed their minds on that one!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,733 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    Essexboy wrote: »
    Cowen does not make hard decisions. Every time he has been faced with a problem which requires a personal decison he has bottled it eg FAS and Molloy, Pat Neary. And of course, there is his refusal to deal with Ivor Callelly.

    I was talking specifically about the economic crisis. Both Molloy and Neary are no longer in their respective positions. He cannot do anything about Callelly. The taoiseach doesn't have the power to sack members of the oireachtas, and rightly so.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,733 ✭✭✭oppenheimer1


    Well lets have an election and see if people have changed their minds on that one!

    You will get your election when we are due one at the end of its 5 year term. The government went to the people in 2007 and got its 5 year mandate.


  • Moderators, Politics Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 43,701 Mod ✭✭✭✭Seth Brundle


    You will get your election when we are due one at the end of its 5 year term. The government went to the people in 2007 and got its 5 year mandate.
    So what is their mandate?
    To pump billions of Euro that we don't have into failed banks? I don't recall that in the election manifestos.
    (and don't kid yourself that we will make it all back!)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 495 ✭✭ciaranmac


    Honestly this is like praising the captain of the Titanic for steering a lifeboat to shore afterwards. Not as if he has steered anything to harbour yet either.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,565 ✭✭✭southsiderosie


    That article is more than likely based on poor journalistic work. The author probably skimmed through a few articles on the crisis and saw key words such as 'Cowen, fiscal deficit, cutting public sector wages.' They probably didn't delve any further than that and are ignorant to the fact that the majority of the crisis is down to him and the Bert.
    For god's sake this is Newsweek; one of the two biggest news magazines in the world . .

    This is not poor journalism ! It is a valuable external perspective and one I have long argued exists.

    It is absolutely poor journalism. There is no mention of the fact that Cowen was the former finance minister. The equivalent would be if Cheney became president in 2008, and an Irish news magazine congratulated him because troops were now being pulled out of Iraq. There is also nothing about NAMA, Galway tents, or any of the other stink that hovers over Cowen, no matter what central bankers think of the new budget. Not to mention the fact that the budget cuts haven't kept Ireland's interest rates from shifting back towards Greece, rather than Germany.

    If we were to judge by size, then would Fox News be the most trustworthy cable network?

    Finally, for comparison's sake, the Wall Street Journal actually has a clear-eyed view on why economic policies have made the government so unpopular. You know you're ****ed when even the Journal thinks the banks have gone too far and the government not far enough...


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,080 ✭✭✭hallelujajordan


    Finally, for comparison's sake, the Wall Street Journal actually has a clear-eyed view on why economic policies have made the government so unpopular. You know you're ****ed when even the Journal thinks the banks have gone too far and the government not far enough...

    Quentin Fottrell is an Irish journalist, based in Ireland who writes a blog, on Irish matters for the WSJ . . Hardly an external international view . .


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,277 ✭✭✭evolutionqy7


    lol well thats a joke


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