Biffo still refuses to apologise for destroying the country

danmanw8 · 28-08-2013 03:00PM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

What opposition? Our so called opposition backed the government on every major decision, i don't really recall them opposing jack shít

Because YOU don't recall it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. The only economist in the Dáil at the time warned over and over again. The reason you don't recall it is because the Fianna Fáil press office (INM & RTE) didn't listen to him.

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showpost.php?p=1144823&postcount=5

chopper6 · 28-08-2013 03:01PM

omahaid wrote: »

Surprising amount of people defending Brian C. On that evidence I reckon we'll get that housing bubble inflated again.

Which the deluded will thereafter refer to as a "boom".

chopper6 · 28-08-2013 03:05PM

Clareboy wrote: »

What ever one says about Biffo, one would have to admit that his gombeen credentials are impeccable, being the son of a TD, publican, auctioneer and undertaker and of course married to the daughter of a Fianna Fail publican. He certainly fitted the image of your typical FF rural TD - over-paid, over-fed, over-weight, over-stuffed and over-bloated!

And carried along by his gombeen supporters...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j8F-9nmZ5I

DeanAustin · 28-08-2013 03:08PM

danmanw8 wrote: »

You obviously haven't read Richard Bruton's budget speeches from 2005,2006,2007 and 2008. He was primary financial spokesperson for the opposition in both the 29th and 30th Dáils. People just didn't want to listen to him. On the 4th of July 2007 Bertie Ahern even suggested that people like Bruton should commit suicide because they weren't prepared to accept his all is rosey in the garden narrative.

Some of RB's speeches are summarised here: http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showpost.php?p=1144823&postcount=5

I see a lot of sense in those but they hardly forewarn what was about to happen or am I missing something?

Bruton primarily seems to be warning about our lack of competitiveness in the export market. He only touches on construction and the housing market and he himself doesn't appear sure if "the Government has done enough to build the capability of the economy to withstand the real pressures under which it is about to come. Those pressures do not merely revolve around the possible slowdown in the housing market..."

From memory, and I may stand corrected on this, Enda wasn't exactly preaching prudence in the election debate with Bertie in 07.

kylith · 28-08-2013 03:33PM

danmanw8 wrote: »

Because YOU don't recall it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. The only economist in the Dáil at the time warned over and over again. The reason you don't recall it is because the Fianna Fáil press office (INM & RTE) didn't listen to him.

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/showpost.php?p=1144823&postcount=5

Yeah, I can't belive Biffo with his 'we didn't believe it' line. They didn't want to believe it. The government collectively crammed their fingers in their ears and sang 'la,la,la' when they were warned that it would end badly. Even if they genuinely thought it'd go on forever they should have had a backup plan just in case the bubble burst.

danmanw8 · 28-08-2013 03:36PM

DeanAustin wrote: »

he himself doesn't appear sure if "the Government has done enough to build the capability of the economy to withstand the real pressures under which it is about to come. Those pressures do not merely revolve around the possible slowdown in the housing market..."

"The Government has doubled its dependence on the construction sector to support its revenue. A total of 25% of every tax euro spent by the Government comes from the construction sector" - Richard Bruton; Wednesday, 6 December 2006

I agree it was not an exact prediction of what was about to happen, but in the absence of a crystal ball, it was a fairly good warning.

DeanAustin · 28-08-2013 03:38PM

danmanw8 wrote: »

"The Government has doubled its dependence on the construction sector to support its revenue. A total of 25% of every tax euro spent by the Government comes from the construction sector" Richard Bruton Wednesday, 6 December 2006

I agree it was not an exact prediction of what was about to happen, but in the absence of a crystal ball, it was a fairly good warning.

Not exactly a warning as much as a statement of fact?

Leftist · 28-08-2013 03:39PM

turned on newstalk this morning and whoever was hosting the show was basically fawning over him and blazing the current government out of it. Also vomited listening to him.
there's something so grindingly pathetic about fianna fail supporters.

danmanw8 · 28-08-2013 03:40PM

DeanAustin wrote: »

Not exactly a warning as much as a statement of fact?

A statement of fact that the government of the time and media wanted to ignore.
Hardly tallies with your & FF's assertion that the opposition of the day were as much to blame?

DeanAustin · 28-08-2013 03:41PM

kylith wrote: »

Yeah, I can't belive Biffo with his 'we didn't believe it' line. They didn't want to believe it. The government collectively crammed their fingers in their ears and sang 'la,la,la' when they were warned that it would end badly. Even if they genuinely thought it'd go on forever they should have had a backup plan just in case the bubble burst.

And that was a massive part of the problem. They didn't want to believe it from the experts who were warning of a crash. To not have a plan B was a dereliction of duty.

As danmanw8 rightly points out, the dissenters were dismissed rather sensationally by Bertie. At the same time, the outrage at that quote by Bertie centred almost exclusively on how he said it (suicide etc.) rather than what he was saying which is indicative of a lot of people having their heads in the sand.

Tony EH · 28-08-2013 03:43PM

Surveyor11 wrote: »

He was also minister of finance before Taoiseach. So perfectly culpable.

Bingo.

And a lot bloody people seem to forget, or shoot their mouths off without having a clue what they're talking about.

Cowen inherited nothing he wasn't already part and parcel of.

To hell with him and Bertie...

...and you can toss Lennehan into that mix too.

DeanAustin · 28-08-2013 03:43PM

danmanw8 wrote: »

A statement of fact that the government of the time and media wanted to ignore.
Hardly tallies with your & FF's assertion that the opposition of the day were as much to blame?

Where did I say that?

Did the government of the day ever deny Bruton's statement of fact above?

Leftist · 28-08-2013 03:44PM

Tony EH wrote: »

Bingo.

And a lot bloody people seem to forget, or shoot their mouths off without having a clue what they're talking about.

Cowen inherited nothing he wasn't already part and parcel of.

To hell with him and Bertie...

...and you can toss Lennehan into that mix too.

But not micheal martin. He's completely blameless.

mosstin · 28-08-2013 03:44PM

hansfrei wrote: »

Fat b@stard. Hope he rots.

This is inevitable I feel, regardless.

michael999999 · 28-08-2013 03:47PM

Leftist wrote: »

turned on newstalk this morning and whoever was hosting the show was basically fawning over him and blazing the current government out of it. Also vomited listening to him.
there's something so grindingly pathetic about fianna fail supporters.

That would be shane coleman, he is totally impartial to be fair. No bias whatsoever towards fianna fail.

Oh did I mention he was political editor of the Sunday independent and is brother in law of dermot aherne!

danmanw8 · 28-08-2013 03:47PM

DeanAustin wrote: »

the dissenters were dismissed rather sensationally by Bertie. At the same time, the outrage at that quote by Bertie centred almost exclusively on how he said it (suicide etc.) rather than what he was saying which is indicative of a lot of people having their heads in the sand.

That's a very good point and one I hadn't considered. Even his apology was for "a bad choice of words" not for dismissing anyone who questioned the narrative that the bubble would never burst.

Means Of Escape · 28-08-2013 04:30PM

chopper6 wrote: »

And carried along by his gombeen supporters...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j8F-9nmZ5I

Unbelievable toe curling stuff
Laughing stock of Europe .

GS11 · 28-08-2013 04:48PM

The last budget Cowen gave as MOF was disgraceful, all about getting them reelected, nothing about doing whats right for the Country.

He should be in jail.

DeanAustin · 28-08-2013 04:54PM

GS11 wrote: »

The last budget Cowen gave as MOF was disgraceful, all about getting them reelected, nothing about doing whats right for the Country.

He should be in jail.

Which basically means that the masses were too stupid to see what was right and what was wrong for the country?

Does anything change? I heard this morning that Enda Kenny has assisted more people in getting their passports than any other TD in Ireland. Suggests that people in this country haven't quite grasped how politics should work and that worryingly the Taoiseach, who I believe is a decent man doing a decent job, hasn't either.

Imagine ringing up the White House asking Obama to sort your passport because you're going to the Canaries at the weekend and lost yours.

The culture around politics in this country stinks.

For Forks Sake · 28-08-2013 04:56PM

Leftist wrote: »

turned on newstalk this morning and whoever was hosting the show was basically fawning over him and blazing the current government out of it. Also vomited listening to him.
there's something so grindingly pathetic about fianna fail supporters.

That would be Shane Coleman, brother in law of Dermot 'What Bailout' Ahern. How he got a job at a Denis O'Brien owned station is beyond me.

lest we forget...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GffDsPYi1Js

Surveyor11 · 28-08-2013 05:05PM

For Forks Sake wrote: »

How he got a job at a Denis O'Brien owned station is beyond me.

lest we forget...

Proof ever of it's who you know, not what you know.

saltyjack silverblade · 28-08-2013 05:10PM

What the hell is an apology going to do? I do not understand the current need in society for apologies. The Magdalene, apology needed etc etc. What exactly is accomplished? With the Magdalene laundries people were saying how nice the government apologised. I get the state participation but an apology? Really? To me this is like giving a bad review t a hotel or restaurant and they offer you the same again for free. What's the point it was sh1t the first time around, I hardly want a second dose.

Means Of Escape · 28-08-2013 09:48PM

Surveyor11 wrote: »

Proof ever of it's who you know, not what you know.

E voting machines .... Obsolete.......relative gets a grant to build huge storage shed......long term rental of said shed by government ......premium rental price paid

Fantastic.

hansfrei · 28-08-2013 10:17PM

saltyjack silverblade wrote: »

What the hell is an apology going to do? I do not understand the current need in society for apologies.

Lot of people would disagree. He commited a crime against people not a crime against money or a bank or something intangible. People want an apology alright.

nlgbbbblth · 28-08-2013 10:18PM

Singalong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHHZ6ed_eco

crazygeryy · 28-08-2013 10:20PM

never knew he smoked.

bonzos · 28-08-2013 11:06PM

The position of head of state/prime minister/taoiseach should be a great privilege and treated with respect...Cowen had no respect for is position as he displayed carrying on like a local town pisshead while in office...how much beer had he and others consumed on the night they flushed the country down the jacks? and people still feel sorry for him!

Eight Ball · 28-08-2013 11:46PM

michael999999 wrote: »

Fianna fail, a proud party of crooks thieves and liars!

A criminal organisation to rival la cosa nostra.

michael999999 · 29-08-2013 07:39AM

Eight Ball wrote: »

A criminal organisation to rival la cosa nostra.

I would consider fianna fail worse. Cosa nostra never bankrupt Italy. The fianna fail crooks can't say the same. They literally brought down a nation.

Markcheese · 29-08-2013 11:18AM

Eight Ball wrote: »

A criminal organisation to rival la cosa nostra.

And yet at the next election their voters will return on mass... "as a nation you tend to get the government you deserve". Doesn't say much for us ....

Biffo still refuses to apologise for destroying the country

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