Brian Lenihan is officially the worst Finance minister according to the FT

Yitzhak Rabin

RT&#201 wrote:

Brian Lenihan has been named as Europe's worst finance minister in a survey of economists by the Financial Times. He was ranked 19th in the survey for the second year in a row...Brian Lenihan was 'overwhelmed by the crisis in Ireland's banking system and the implosion of the country's economic growth,' the FT said.

Nothing really most of us didn't already know. I think his ineptitude for the job is matched only by his willingness and ease at which he can lie to the electorate on a constant basis.

I think the sad thing is, there is a sizeable amount of people in this country who think 'FF are awful, but at least Brian Lenihan is doing a good job etc.' It seems Brian Lenihan has a great ability to hoodwink people into believing him, despite his track record as a liar. He hasn't fooled the FT's economists it seems.

The sooner this election comes the better.

jmayo

And this is news why ?

This about as earth shattering a revelation as someone claiming that shooting oneself in the head is bad for one's life prospects. :rolleyes:

Yitzhak Rabin

jmayo wrote: »

And this is news why ?

This about as earth shattering a revelation as someone claiming that shooting oneself in the head is bad for one's life prospects. :rolleyes:

Because unfortunately a lot of people are under the delusion that Brian Lenihan is in some way competent and 'at least he is taking the hard decisions etc.'

MidlandsM

It's news because he was domestically being hailed as being a great Financial Manager of this crisis, when in fact he's a baffoon.

Sir Oxman

And to add, that's the second year in a row he's had that dishonour and still some papers and media make him out to be the The Great Hope. I'd love Mammy O Rourke to be asked about that report on one of her numerous media appearances.
What a joke.

danbohan

gambiaman wrote: »

And to add, that's the second year in a row he's had that dishonour and still some papers and media make him out to be the The Great Hope. I'd love Mammy O Rourke to be asked about that report on one of her numerous media appearances.
What a joke.

why anybody would ever have considered him anything other than a bufoon is to ignore the ''family '' history

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLoDg_vwo8c

jmayo

yekahs wrote: »

Because unfortunately a lot of people are under the delusion that Brian Lenihan is in some way competent and 'at least he is taking the hard decisions etc.'

Well there are a few of those around these parts although they are getting quieter of late. :rolleyes:

gambiaman wrote: »

And to add, that's the second year in a row he's had that dishonour and still some papers and media make him out to be the The Great Hope. I'd love Mammy O Rourke to be asked about that report on one of her numerous media appearances.
What a joke.

That ould biddy is on every bloody weekend, usually pedalling the batty ould aunty drivel.

She has managed to create a kindly old aunty media persona for herself where she is let away with so much cr** from our really crappy journos and media interviewers.

freyners

in other 'breaking news' brian cowen enjoys the odd guiness.

MagicMarker

yekahs wrote: »

Nothing really most of us didn't already know. I think his ineptitude for the job is matched only by his willingness and ease at which he can lie to the electorate on a constant basis.

I think the sad thing is, there is a sizeable amount of people in this country who think 'FF are awful, but at least Brian Lenihan is doing a good job etc.' It seems Brian Lenihan has a great ability to hoodwink people into believing him, despite his track record as a liar. He hasn't fooled the FT's economists it seems.

The sooner this election comes the better.

He was voted the worst last year as well.

Rabble Rabble

Brian is a bad Finance minister, but apparently a decent chap. Also, sick. So people give him some leeway.

He is still very very bad however.

dvpower

How is he 'officially' the worst finance minister? Is the FT now some kind of international rating agency?

Don Juan DeMagoo

Rabble Rabble wrote: »

Brian is a bad Finance minister, but apparently a decent chap. Also, sick. So people give him some leeway.

He is still very very bad however.

What has his personal illness seriously got to do with anything? If he is sick and unfit for purpose he has an obligation to step aside.

I imagine there will be an awful lot of fianna fail TDs and ministers stepping aside due to personal health issues before the next election.

Don Juan DeMagoo

dvpower wrote: »

How is he 'officially' the worst finance minister? Is the FT now some kind of international rating agency?

Ministers are judged individually on their political ability, economic performance and credibility in the international markets and then given an overall score.

flutered

congrats lendahand, you have won this two years in a row, if you win it for a third time then we are really axeled.

Wudyaquit

yekahs wrote: »

He was ranked 19th in the survey for the second year in a row....

gambiaman wrote: »

And to add, that's the second year in a row he's had that dishonour.

MagicMarker wrote: »

He was voted the worst last year as well.

flutered wrote: »

congrats lendahand, you have won this two years in a row, .

This is the second time he got this vote, by the way

PeterIanStaker

yekahs wrote: »

Because unfortunately a lot of people are under the delusion that Brian Lenihan is in some way competent and 'at least he is taking the hard decisions etc.'

that's media driven bull, and we all know whose side they're on.

Sadly, if they spout it often enough it'll sink into the minds of the easily led. Lenihan is a FF gombeen not some knight in shining armour.

The Volt

Rabble Rabble wrote: »

Brian is a bad Finance minister, but apparently a decent chap. Also, sick. So people give him some leeway.

He is still very very bad however.

His illness has actually protected him from much deserved criticism and in some ways turned him into a national hero. The time for niceties is long gone.

johnnyskeleton

yekahs wrote: »

Because unfortunately a lot of people are under the delusion that Brian Lenihan is in some way competent and 'at least he is taking the hard decisions etc.'

Not just that, but he peddals the story that he is well respected and treated seriously by his colleagues in Europe, the international markets recognise that he is making the tough decisions and can steer the country back to recovery and that he got the best possible deal from Europe.

This FT article shows that he has lost all international respect and the bailout deal was very poorly negotiated. They saw him coming (with our purse) from a mile away.

kmick

He is a barrister by trade. Solicitors and barristers are not renowned for their financial acumen. Most are completely financially illiterate. Brian is firmly in the financially illiterate camp. He is a likeable chap though. Mind you that poll is rubbish. The Greek minister came 8th and Greece makes us look like amateurs when it comes to financial mis-management.

Wicklowrider

Rabble Rabble wrote: »

but apparently a decent chap. Also, sick. So people give him some leeway.

No leeway from me.
He is either fit for purpose or he is not.
It is inexcusably irresponsible to his mission that he would continue if his illness affects his success.

Mr.Micro

Wudyaquit wrote: »

This is the second time he got this vote, by the way

He is consistent in at least one thing then.......incompetence. He has al the credentials then for the Office of a FF Taoiseach just like Biffo who was also inept as Finance Minister.

gollem_1975

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

that's media driven bull, and we all know whose side they're on.

the ironing(sic) of this comment in a thread about an article in the media is delicious imo

mods perhaps you can merge with http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056111311 ?

NewHillel

kmick wrote: »

Brian is firmly in the financially illiterate camp.

Yeah, I heard he can't spell either, and has trouble with geography.;)

MidlandsM wrote: »

It's news because he was domestically being hailed as being a great Financial Manager of this crisis, when in fact he's a baffoon.

I agree, he most certainly is an educated person - i.e. a baffoon.
(The same couldn't be said about all posters on Boards.ie.)

maynooth_rules

I'll put my head on the line now and say that RTE will not mention this:rolleyes:. Wonder will Brendan O'Connor mention it in his Sundays piece. This being the same O'Connor who said about 6 months ago that Lenihan was that only man that was fit to lead the government. Im glad people are finally waking up to the disaster that Lenihan has been. The cheapest bailout in the world my arse

NewHillel

maynooth_rules wrote: »

Wonder will Brendan O'Connor mention it in his Sundays piece. This being the same O'Connor who said about 6 months ago that Lenihan was that only man that was fit to lead the government.

I always knew that BO'C was a class act.

flutered

maynooth_rules wrote: »

I'll put my head on the line now and say that RTE will not mention this:rolleyes:. Wonder will Brendan O'Connor mention it in his Sundays piece. This being the same O'Connor who said about 6 months ago that Lenihan was that only man that was fit to lead the government. Im glad people are finally waking up to the disaster that Lenihan has been. The cheapest bailout in the world my arse

no mention of it in the news, i sat through the lot of it, nah not a mention, not suprised either.

NewHillel

flutered wrote: »

nNo mention of it in the news, i I sat through the lot of it, nah not a mention, not suprised either.

Hello again, always like to see another Brian Lenihan fan. Fixed the above for you. (I know you get flutered. )

Liam Byrne

Rabble Rabble wrote: »

Brian is a bad Finance minister, but apparently a decent chap. Also, sick. So people give him some leeway.

He is still very very bad however.

I'm a bus driver.

I have the flu.

I insisted on staying in my job and crashed the bus in a disastrous manner, ruining the lives of many families.

But I was sick, so give me some leeway.

:rolleyes:
.

flutered

NewHillel wrote: »

Hello again, always like to see another Brian Lenihan fan. Fixed the above for you. (I know you get flutered. )

i am not a fan of lendahand, or the dff either, you should have saved yourself the bother of fixing it, i suppose you have nothing else to do, i do not drink sorry to see that your crystal ball is all snowed up, probably the weather.

Sir Oxman

Rabble Rabble wrote: »

Brian is a bad Finance minister, but apparently a decent chap. Also, sick. So people give him some leeway.

He is still very very bad however.

No.

sceptre

I think some of you guys are misinterpreting a statement of what some people are doing as a request. Two more commas (or even one) in "So people give him some leeway" would turn it into "So, people, give him some leeway" (or "So people, give him some leeway"). The latter is a request but that's not what was posted.

Unless Rabble Rabble comes back and clarifies that he believes that people should do that (which, judging by the rest of his post, I reckon he's unlikely to do), I'm going to interpret it as his clearly stating that some people are giving him some leeway (which is what the comma-less sentence actually means). They shouldn't, of course, but some people are probably doing so.

Unfortunately, with good grammar being abandoned even by teachers of the english language, both reading grammar and writing grammar have taken a hit. It's to be regretted, and some day may be.

With moderator hat on, those of you who reported the original post could do well to note that we don't censor opinions. Even if the original post existed to promote the notion that Lenihan should be given some leeway due to his illness, that's a point of view. Please don't report a post for merely expressing an opinion that disagrees with yours. That's silly. This board exists for the exchange of views and opinions.