Newsweek ranks Brian Cowen among world's best leaders

brianthebard

brianthebard wrote: »

Strawman nonsense, this has nothing to do with whether the Irish banks are hording the recapitalisation money or not.

And why would I be talking about that?

brianthebard

Deleted User wrote: »

And why would I be talking about that?

Because that's the topic of a post of mine you quoted and said I was wrong, and proceeded to talk nonsense about libor and your precious economics degree.

The very first thing you said in that post I quoted was that credit hadn't loosened up.. Which is where the libor comes in as the clearest indication of availability of credit.
Anyways i'm tired of this.. I've a headache, a sore throat and i'm arguing shlte with someone online for no reason.

thebigbiffo

fianna fail are bad m'kay.

all you people out there with an opinion different from the herd please line up against that red dashed wall over there

---

>

brianthebard

Deleted User wrote: »

The very first thing you said in that post I quoted was that credit hadn't loosened up..
Anyways i'm tired of this.

If you're that soft that you can't figure out what banks I'm talking about in a thread about Cowen on an Irish forum then its no wonder you're tired of this. brain drain indeed...

enda1

So anyway....

Cowen is one of the world's great leaders?

Nah.

Doesn't have the guts and appointed a self-destructive Tániste who was minister for EntEmp! (at least he partially fixed that)

thebigbiffo

brianthebard wrote: »

If you're that soft that you can't figure out what banks I'm talking about in a thread about Cowen on an Irish forum then its no wonder you're tired of this. brain drain indeed...

do you have to be so snotty and condesending? every time a thread with a link to government/fianna fail comes up your all over it like a kebab on kerry katona - any chance of showing an even slightly moderate opinion or some level of understanding for other peoples views?

please note questions are rhetorical

brianthebard

thebigbiffo wrote: »

do you have to be so snotty and condesending? every time a thread with a link to government/fianna fail comes up your all over it like a kebab on kerry katona - any chance of showing an even slightly moderate opinion or some level of understanding for other peoples views?

please note questions are rhetorical

My posts so far have hardly touched upon FF but rant away there's a good lad, the irony of you asking for a moderate opinion on the government/FF is a laugh.

Fighting Irish

sesna wrote: »

Luckily I dont have a house, but I do feel sorry for those in negative equity given the government cheerleaded the property bubble for years. Of course now the line is that it's nothing to do with them. See FF Donnie Cassidy in as late as April 2008 telling people there was excellent value out there, and prices would increase again by 30% in 12 months. Alot of closet FF hacks on this thread who cant admit Clowen and Bertie (with his mysterious London School of Economics degree) were at best lazy and incompetent. And of course we're not allowed to criticise Lenihan.

So people shouldn't think for themselves?

thebigbiffo

brianthebard wrote: »

My posts so far have hardly touched upon FF but rant away there's a good lad, the irony of you asking for a moderate opinion on the government/FF is a laugh.

i'm on record as saying brian cowen should have resigned

this was treated by you in the same snotty, derisive manner - so there's no irony, only selective memory on your behalf probably because of my ill advised user name

sesna

Fighting Irish wrote: »

So people shouldn't think for themselves?

Of course people can think for themselves, and should take a certain proportion of the blame. However, one would expect the regulator and Minister for Finance to simply do their jobs, not repeat the mantra that the "fundamentals are sound" Donnie Cassidy style.

What is a government, regulators etc there for - going round singing in pubs, or eating caviar at Galway races ? Let's not forget the responsibility of media over the past 10 years who were complicit in pushing the same line while receiving vast property supplement revenues.

The price of my TV licence is controlled by law, so is my rail/CIE ticket. yet the builder mafia could raise the price of a house, by anything they liked from time of booking to signing contract. I knew one couple who had price of their house raised by 24,000 on two separate occasions, total 48,000.

Its an Irish thing to have a place to live (maybe that does not need to be revised). Its not like betting on a horse which some in FF try to say now, or others who proclaim those that try to own their own home were somehow greedy.

On Frontline last November, an unfortunate girl was complaining that her apartment in Kildare was built on a flood plain and was swamped.She had invested in it to get a roof over her head. Name of estate was " Waterways". Our esteemed Minister for Environment John Gormley was on the panel also, and what did he say to her- she should have known better than to buy in an estate with a name like that.

I suppose the unfortunate woman in question was supposed to examine Ord. Survey maps to see if her new home was subject to flooding. Afterall this would be thinking for herself. There is or is supposed to be planning authorites to examine all matters with flooding problems, radon gas, etc. Hardly the job of a young couple who go to an auctioneer to buy a house.

brianthebard

thebigbiffo wrote: »

i'm on record as saying brian cowen should have resigned

this was treated by you in the same snotty, derisive manner - so there's no irony, only selective memory on your behalf probably because of my ill advised user name

Saying Cowen should have resigned suggests you don't think he should have to any more, and you certainly haven't blamed FF for the collapse of the economy. Sacrifices have to be made to keep the FF machine moving, and just because you made the 'big step' of saying he should have resigned doesn't suddenly make you a moderate voice. Regardless, I'm not bothered that my posts on FF annoy you, in fact I'd feel aggrieved if I thought you read any of my posts related to politics and weren't annoyed.

Calibos

The recession may have been the Hurricane which Cowen et al had no control over but they at least could have made the house economy out of matchsticks instead of cards. The Canadians weathered the hurricane because they built their house of balsa wood......ok analogy stretched to breaking point

thebigbiffo

brianthebard wrote: »

Regardless, I'm not bothered that my posts on FF annoy you, in fact I'd feel aggrieved if I thought you read any of my posts related to politics and weren't annoyed.

dont hurt yourself when you fall off that high horse

mikom

thebigbiffo wrote: »

dont hurt yourself when you fall off that high horse

High horse to be an average sized pony following next budget.

ART6

Sykk wrote: »

I've said it before I'll say it again. Bertie was the one who fúcked up, he left when the place was in the shít and left Cowen with a poisoned chalice.

Cowen is doing a great job, he has made some decisions which HAVE to be made and clearly aren't going to make people happy.

If you think it's his fault we're in this state, you clearly know nothing about economics.

LookingFor wrote: »

This will go down well locally, I'm sure...

He's placed in their top 10 'head of the class' world leaders, labelling him 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class/the-fiscal-taskmaster-brian-cowen.html



Elsewhere, they rank Ireland as the 17th best place in the world to live.

http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/the-world-s-best-countries.html

Going back to the OP above, we are told the government and particularly Cowen and Lenihan have gained international respect for their swift actions in dealing with the crisis.

So what have they done? They have ruthlessly cut public sector salaries (well no -- they imposed levies but....).
They are making unpopular cuts in services, but since they only affect those who don't have the clout to fire back that's OK.
They have spent billions of taxpayer's money on attempting to save a commercial (ie not retail ) bank that was already insolvent and beyond saving, but it had to be done to avoid the bank's bondholders losing their money (tough s**t - don't invest what you can't afford to lose. Fundamental rule of investment).
They have increased taxes but they hid them under the guise of environmental protection and will add more claiming the need to reduce the country's dependance on fossil fuels. They will introduce domestic rates as it is appropriate to tax people for something they already own and have paid for with already taxed income.

But what haven't they done? Well, they haven't got rid of the hundreds of quangos that are absorbing over €13 billion a year (oh, couldn't do that -- good ol' Pat is a friend and my regular partner at our golf club, and I appointed him chairman of ****).
They haven't sorted out the money sink that the HSE has become, and they didn't even look like doing so when they appointed a professor of paediatrics as the chief executive instead of hiring a top class international business manager.
They haven't tested their programme for recovery by taking it to the electorate, even at three by-elections that are long overdue.
They didn't do anything to control the property bubble even when residential property prices were escalating way beyond the potential buyer's ability to pay, and when the evidence of what could happen was readily available from the UK experience in the early 1990s. Instead they revelled in the fact that the Irish growth was the highest in Europe when it was actually based on a mirage.
They didn't (and haven't) done anything to cut down the wild and incompetent government overspending on infrastructure projects (It's simpler to just cancel them boy. We'll only make another b*****s of them if we try to finish them).
They didn't sell off the government jet, when it is clearly a luxury the
country cannot afford (but we can't expect our ministers to book flights on Ryanair or Aerfungus like the common folks, can we?). A PR disaster.
They ignored, and in some cases rubbished, the warnings of expert economists claiming that the government knew better, even though it's Finance Minister was a lawyer and there were only (apparently) two qualified economists in the Department of Finance.
They spent millions in hiring consultants for almost every aspect of government, without ever (apparently) questioning whether their civil service could supply the same information. Then when they received the consultant's reports they ignored them.

Wasn't this all on Cowen's watch when he was Minister for Finance?

It's odd. I have spent most of my career in business management, in the marine and engineering industries, but these people are making me more left wing by the day. Much more of this and I will become an anarchist:D

Elevator

Rubik. wrote: »

Cowen & Co. kept telling us it wasn't their fault, we are a small open economy being dragged down by a global economic crises. Then a report they commissioned ,to look at the causes of the crises, concluded that only 25% of our our problems are related to outside factors, the remaining 75% was created domestically.

Their latest mantra is - "we are unpopular because we are making difficult decisions". Conveniently ignoring their role in creating the need to make these "difficult" decisions in the first place.

gotcha!!! link below to counter your claim

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0609/banks.html

Elevator

sesna wrote: »

The man is an intellectual powerhouse, master of his brief and economics genius.
He and St Lenihan will guide us out of this mess.

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

this is the extent of brian cowens intelligence, "i brought ye a swimming pool to clara!" and the place goes mad

i have no reason to stay in this country any longer

give me my €100,000 and i'll be off thanks

poppyvalley

aDeener wrote: »

what an apt username :rolleyes:

FCA... farmers carrying arms

mickydoomsux

Elevator wrote: »

this is the extent of brian cowens intelligence, "i brought ye a swimming pool to clara!" and the place goes mad

He doesn't need intelligence. All you need to do to get votes in Ireland is get someone their 'medjical card' or help them out with a bit of planning.

The parish pump is where these people win their seats still because Irish people are small minded and only care about getting theirs rather than improving our society and nation as a whole.

PeterIanStaker

Einhard wrote: »

You're perfectly entitled to criticise them as often as you long, and you certainly do, but I'm equally entitled to hold a contrary view and assert that. Every day I read the Indo, or the Sindo, there are articles criticsing the government, or detailing blunder or incident that FF would rather kept covered up. So I don't really understand how they can be portrayed as political stooges.

As for Eoghan Harris' appointment to the Seanad, I think it was a mistake to accept it, and quite often I read his articles with incredulity, but again they make me think and question my own point of view. I don't really see the point of buying a paper just to have your own opinions laid out for you in print. It's why I read david McWilliams and Gene Kerrigan too, and Robert Fisk in the Indo, even though I rarely agree with what they have to say. I'd also point out that Harris is as entitled to his opinion as you, and that they were formed in good faith, and not on the pretext of getting a a Seanad seat.

I think that a lot of the criticism of the Sindo/Indo comes down to nothing more than media snobbery. I'm not saying that's the case with you or Dudess, but several times friends have dismissed both papers, and when I ask why they're of that opinion, they can give no more than the most vague reasons, usually involving Kevin Myers, who, I seem to remember, was once a columnist for the Irish Times.

Anyhoo, probably getting a bit off topic here so I'll leave it at that (which generally means the opposite!!)

I agree with reading Harris's articles with incredulity. Sometimes I genuinely think the man is ill, and thats not being the least bit facetious. His Seanad seat was akin to Caligula making his horse a consul.

As for Myers yes I'm well aware he used to write for the Indo, but he to me is a fantsist longing for the glory days of Empire where a few gallant chaps exterminated the natives (who were conveniently armed with nothing more dangerous than sharp sticks) in some far-flung corner of the globe.
I'm not a media snob and I've little time for snobbery, hence I think Myers is a bollox.

McWilliams - I dont know enough to form an opinion but seeing as you mentioned him I'll read his next piece, although I know little of finance or economics.

Finally, like you, the material I read also makes me question my own point of view. It also deepens my cynicism, which I will be the first to admit is a character flaw of mine, but on the other hand I find it so hard to believe anything I read without wondering about the (for all I know nonexistent) motive behind it.

bytey

LookingFor wrote: »

This will go down well locally, I'm sure...

He's placed in their top 10 'head of the class' world leaders, labelling him 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class/the-fiscal-taskmaster-brian-cowen.html



l

I guess its not bad for a Fat Talentless C.unt

Erica<3

In the words of many,

ARE YA FCUKIN MESSIN'?

sesna

I would not lump the Indo and Sindo together as you attempt to, Einhard. Criticism of the Sindo is nothing to do with media snobbery. Just simply some people dont like reading the embedded in-house FF newspaper of Fanning, Harris, O'Connor,Drennan,JP McCarthy, Delaney,O'Dea and Celia Larkin.

Also dont forget Jody Corcoran was in the dressing room with Cowen in RTE before his Late Late show appearance. Some paper, with Aengus Fanning doing soft interviews with Cowen, O Dea and all other FFers. I suppose all this dictation is coming from Sir Anthony O Reilly whom Cowen and Bertie met just before the last election. Wonder if anyone will take another of his payback time editorials serious.

And of course slobberer John Drennan tries to ride two horses. Only token Gene Kerrigan there has any cred.

Sea Sharp

This article is a good thing. If potential investors are under the illusion that we have our house in order they might create jobs here.

SuperInfinity

Nobody either buys or takes Newsweek seriously anymore.

When is the last time you bought Newsweek? Nobody else ever does either.

They lost all the tiniest little bit of credibility they might have left with that cover "we are all socialist now" when Obama was elected.

They are like The Daily Mail without the entertaining stories. They're a joke.

sligopark

yep you're rigt but it does represent a view - personally Brian Cowen - Fat Ugly Cünt from Offaly

FUC OFF

AckwelFoley

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0818/cowenb.html

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been listed as one of the top ten leaders in the world by Newsweek magazine.

In its piece 'Go to the top of the class', the magazine says Mr Cowen is 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

The magazine says that despite Ireland's 'once roaring economy' being 'staggered by the banking crisis'; unemployment at 13%; rising emigration; and the money markets ranking the Irish economy 'not far behind Greece on the list of Europe's big-time losers', Mr Cowen and 'his able finance minister Brian Lenihan are prescribing harsh medicine'.

They article, by reporter Christopher Dickey, says that the Government has 'pushed through austerity packages drastic enough to win the admiration of the international community, raised taxes, and slashed some public salaries by more than 10%.

However, according to the report 'the Irish aren't showing much gratitude' as Mr Cowen's popularity rating has 'plunged to a mere 18%'.

Despite this, the report says, 'there's some hope that his [Mr Cowen] government's unpopular measures will be rewarded in the long run' as surveys suggest that Irish consumer confidence is on the rise again, and 'the economy notched up modest growth in the first quarter of 2010.'

Other world leaders included on the top ten list are the UK's David Cameron, France's Nicolas Sarkozy, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Merged

darkman2

RTE are very slow are'nt they?;) (slower then the OP anyway)

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0818/cowenb.html

Nodin

Glasses, great man for the eyesight....

_feedback_

Oops Snyper! It was only 5 threads down too!

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056001912

Mr. Presentable

This thread ran yesterday.......

He is only highly thought of in certain circles because he has handed the keys to Ireland to the banks bondholders. Newsweek is just propagandistic rubbish.

darkman2

OP is even slower then RTE and even more remarkably slower then the original OP.

Kazuma

...you're ****ting me, I was hoping that one day I could escape this kind of stupidity by leaving Ireland...apparently not

DrumSteve

Kazuma wrote: »

...you're ****ting me, I was hoping that one day I could escape this kind of stupidity by leaving Ireland...apparently not

No way... 2 threads bout the same thing? You cannot escape the internet!

ejmaztec

A day late for the vomit-fest, I'm all sicked out.

r3nu4l

Didn't see it yesterday, glad I saw it now. Gas stuff altogether, I take it this issue was a reprint of the April Fools edition?

Wolfe Tone

Well done Biffo

geeky

Newsweek is a publication that's sliding deeper and deeper into debt, doesn't have a plan to get out, and won't face up to entrenched interests within the business. They feel a great affinity for Cowen. Funny that.

geeky

Newsweek is a publication that's sliding deeper and deeper into debt, doesn't have a plan to get out, and won't face up to entrenched interests within the business. They feel a great affinity for Cowen. Funny that.

aidan24326

banquo wrote: »

Not a FF voter myself by any means, but if you genuinely believe that FF caused the recession then you're an idiot.

I don't believe anyone ever said they 'caused' it all by themselves. A recession is too complex to have only one cause. They weren't the only guilty party by any means, but our current predicament certainly has their fingerprints all over it. They were deeply embedded in the property bubble that lies at the heart of our problems. They hobnobbed with the developers to mutual gain, gave them tasty tax breaks, zoning and planning permission all over the place, and turned a blind eye to the shenanigans in the banks, all of which led to the disastrous property and lending orgy that has us in the sh1t now. If there was a league table of people to blame, they'd be right up near the top of it.

darkman2

Just listening to RTE presenter make a fraudulent slip on radio - Brian "Clowen" - I laughed.:)

mal1

darkman2 wrote: »

Just listening to RTE presenter make a fraudulent slip on radio - Brian "Clowen" - I laughed.:)

I came onto boards as soon as i heard it. I laughed out loud in the office.Brilliant! I think it's Sean O'Rourke. He laughed himself after he said it.

As good as the time when Michael Woods TD called Pat Rabbitte 'Pat the Rabbit' during a discussion on Morning Ireland.

ejmaztec

darkman2 wrote: »

Just listening to RTE presenter make a fraudulent slip on radio - Brian "Clowen" - I laughed.:)

I think it was more Freudian than fraudulent.:P

Lemegeton

seems the magazine completely skipped over the fact that cowen and fellow fianna fail scum created the mess in the first place :mad::mad::mad::mad:

starlit

LookingFor wrote: »

This will go down well locally, I'm sure...

He's placed in their top 10 'head of the class' world leaders, labelling him 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class/the-fiscal-taskmaster-brian-cowen.html



Elsewhere, they rank Ireland as the 17th best place in the world to live.

http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/the-world-s-best-countries.html

You must be joking??? They must be Fooking Wrong Yaw!

tmcw

I smell a conspiricy. Is Cowen a Freemason?

Killer Pigeon

So, erm ... apparently Brian Cowen has been been listed as one of the world's best and most respected leaders (ranked 5th) according to newsweek today.:rolleyes:

Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been listed as one of the top ten leaders in the world by Newsweek magazine.
In its piece 'Go to the top of the class' the magazine says Mr Cowen is 'The Fiscal Taskmaster'.

It says that despite Ireland's 'once roaring economy' being 'staggered by the banking crisis'; unemployment at 13%; rising emigration; and the money markets ranking the Irish economy 'not far behind Greece on the list of Europe's big-time losers', Mr Cowen and 'his able finance minister Brian Lenihan are prescribing harsh medicine'.


...

http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0818/cowenb.html

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/16/go-to-the-head-of-the-class.all.html

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