The Brian Cowen Ard Fheis Speech Thread

Het-Field

Tonight, Brian Cowen will make his first speech as Taoiseach, and Leader of Fianna Fail. In 2008 falling ratings, and the Bertie issue ensured that the party had no Ard Fheis. However, this Conference is being held against the backdrop of plummeting poll ratings, rising unemployment, the seemingly unending banking crisis, and the day by day festering economic situation.

What can Cowen say ? Will he outline his national plan ? Will he outline a method for moving forward ? Will he declare the next steps towards the banking crisis ? Wiill he show leadership over the taxation issue, and make cunning decisions in the field ? Will he declare a new wave of FDI from the Obama office (unlikely) ? Will he declare a job stimulus package/scheme ? Will he declare a promise for major public sector reform ? Will he outline Ireland's "Next Steps" ?

Or will he...

Bash Fine Gael and Labour as unpatriotic ?
Use the word "Republican" 100 times with the 30 mins
Outline "what has been done", while consciously ignoring what hasnt ?
"Rally the troops" with uber partisan rhetoric, before ajouring to the bar.

SEPT 23 1989

one mention of the words "smart economy" and i will need a new TV come the morning:mad:

mike65

This will be boom or bust for Cowen, if he speaks as the leader of the State and not FF enunciating clearly a way forward the gubberment has a chance, if he can't see any further than partisan rhetortic the public will hammer FF so hard this spring they will not recover before the next general election.

I usually avoid these speeches like the plague but I may just tear myself away from Prem Soccer Saturday for this one.

Darragh29

Het-Field wrote: »

What can Cowen say ? Will he outline his national plan ? Will he outline a method for moving forward ? Will he declare the next steps towards the banking crisis ? Wiill he show leadership over the taxation issue, and make cunning decisions in the field ? Will he declare a new wave of FDI from the Obama office (unlikely) ? Will he declare a job stimulus package/scheme ? Will he declare a promise for major public sector reform ? Will he outline Ireland's "Next Steps" ?

He will do none of the above, and even if he did all of the above, he still doesn't have the drive or the intelligence or the vision or the ambition to implement any effective action that he might tell us is required to start pulling us out of this calamity.

It's one thing saying your going to do something, this is the easy part, which he can't even manage to do at the moment!!! The hard part is taking the plan and the strategy and implementing it, he first of all doesn't even have a plan, secondly he cannot communicate a plan if he had one, and most importantly of all, he cannot implement policy in a way that brings about immediate and effective results.

I hate saying this as I feel like I'm talking the country down, but I've never seen a man more devoid of leadership ability and inspiration in my entire life.

I'd actually like to be able to get behind him and give him my support but I can't help but see a man who is hopelessly out of his depth and unable to cope in his job. If he had a decent Tanaiste and Finance Minister, he just might be able to pull it off, but Jesus the three of them are hopeless, it is the only word you could find to describe them.

ejmaztec

He'll probably start playing the fiddle after the smoke alarm goes off.

I watched an hour or so ago when Lenihan was spouting and could take no more after a few minutes. I couldn't work out why there was an audience, unless they were all locked in.

Darragh29

This is where the 120K people should be protesting, outside this venue.

sceptre

ejmaztec wrote: »

I couldn't work out why there was an audience, unless they were all locked in.

Even wannabes who hope to preside over a burned shack hope to preside over something.

spadder

sceptre wrote: »

Even wannabes who hope to preside over a burned shack hope to preside over something.

Yep, the adulating, brainwashed morons. I wonder if this is what Waco looked like before David koresh set fire to the kip.

Darragh29

I hear they are handing these out at the Ard Fheis...

sceptre

<sigh> I shouldn't bother with allegorical references, it just opens the floodgates for the bad standup comedy and extreme references.

Let's do the "serious thread" thing, people, eh? I've complete respect for the existence and operation of After Hours but this isn't it. And it's not going to become it either.

Sully

Regardless, everyone will give him a standing ovation, cheer and clap him on as if nothing ever happened.

Id assume he will deliver a good speach but I cant see it having any difference in the local/european elections. People dont care about speaches, they want the correct action taken.

nesf

First thing he's talked about that I hugely support is reforming our bank regulation system and form a single regulator for commercial institutions and a separate one for regulating products offered to the public. I'll need to see details but this is very good. We need this.

He's also mentioned higher taxes and cutting spending, until he actually brings concrete plans forward I'll withhold my views on this. He is in a position to do more than talk and needs to act here.

Sully

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055500495

nesf

Threads merged. I can't believe I missed this thread.

nesf

Sully wrote: »

Regardless, everyone will give him a standing ovation, cheer and clap him on as if nothing ever happened.

Of course, it's a party conference. They're all the same in this way, doesn't matter what country you're in.

Sully

So what do people make so far? So far, I wouldnt think its anything special our outstanding. Not sure its what people would have expected but more to come I guess.

Darragh29

Sully wrote: »

So what do people make so far? So far, I wouldnt think its anything special our outstanding. Not sure its what people would have expected but more to come I guess.

Most unconvincing speech I have ever heard in my life.

Sully

nesf wrote: »

Of course, it's a party conference. They're all the same in this way, doesn't matter what country you're in.

Oh I know. True FF crowd sticking with the party regardless. I found the comment on Lisbon amusing when he got an applause considering a huge amount of blame can be left on his party for loosing it.

nesf

Sully wrote: »

So what do people make so far? So far, I wouldnt think its anything special our outstanding. Not sure its what people would have expected but more to come I guess.

The regulatory thing was good and was so badly needed. They needed to make up their mind and bite the bullet and either decide to try and fix our present one or try to form a whole new system. They've chosen the better of the two options given international experiences in this.

Alessandra

They are clapping like duracell bunnies and with no conviction.. Not convinced at all Brian. Now the emotional anecdote, eugh

Hillel

The best idea he can come up with is a "meitheal", right. I don't give him three months.

Alessandra

That was not worthy of standing ovation

Darragh29

Alessandra wrote: »

That was not worthy of standing ovation

It was worthy of a pair of fast moving and well worn leather shoes connecting with his head...

Hillel

Alessandra wrote: »

That was not worthy of standing ovation

Maybe, if it was his obituary.

(Pity he doesn't recognise that there's real anger with politicians, "out there" and their refusal to share in the "pain and hardship"!)

nesf

It was better than I expected and considering the circumstances he did ok. He's not a great orator and we all knew that.

Actions will speak louder than words in this. If he follows through on his speech, delivers the new regulatory system, cuts in spending and rises in taxes then I'll be happy enough. Everything after that is just window dressing, without sorting out our financial sector we won't be able to borrow the necessary money to cover us while we make the necessary fiscal adjustments to balance the budget because we cannot do it in one year.

Hillel

Ireland might well rise again, but not with Brian at the helm. No way!

Alessandra

How are we facing the situation from a "stronger position" than before? I don't believe the national debt has ever been so large?

Darragh29

Hillel wrote: »

Maybe, if it was his obituary.

(Pity he doesn't recognise that there's real anger with politicians, "out there" and their refusal to share in the "pain and hardship"!)

Couldn't agree more, he doesn't seem to get the fact that the book stops with the government. If the bankers screw us over, he is responsible and culpable. That's what we have been paying him and his ilk for and they haven't delivered, it's as simple as that.

Trotter

I'm politically fairly neutral and I'd have to say that I was completely unconvinced by that speech. It was full of waffle.

I have no confidence in these people to lead with honesty. I don't trust them, or him.

Where are all the FF voters/supporters here? What do you think?

RealityCheck

That speech was complete and utter revolting drivel. Cliche after cliche with absolutely no substance. That in my opinion was his last chance to turn it around and he has let it go idly by. Goodbye Brian.
Did anyone notice the body language of all the ministers? They looked so disinterested.

nesf

Alessandra wrote: »

How are we facing the situation from a "stronger position" than before? I don't believe the national debt has ever been so large?

Yes, hugely so. As a percentage of our national income our public debt is very small compared to what it was like in the 70s and 80s. Though it's going to deteriorate a lot over the next three to five years we're still better off than we were.

Seriously you people have short memories, this is nothing compared to the crap we were in before they finally pulled themselves together and implemented the Tallaght strategy.