Brian Cowen is leaving politics - Confirmed

jmayo

PeterIanStaker wrote: »

Goodbye to a dull, uninspiring, uncharismatic, bullish, overpromoted gombeen who was too stubborn to even attepmt to fix the mess. Terrible excuse for a Finance Minister too.

This isn't good news by the way - don't forget that the man walks away with large amounts of OUR money for the rest of his life.

I have said before I could not care less if politicans appear dull or uncharismatic, but by God I do care if they are trustworthy, hard working, competent, repsonsibile, accountable and ethical.
cowen failed on all counts.

I can't accuse cowen of corruption, but I can accuse him of stupidity, incompetence, lack of ethics and selling out the country for the benefit of a few.

mickdw wrote: »

He is not going due to a sense of shame, he is going because he will be financially better off. First thing that needs to change is the idea that they get pension regardless of age. Make them wait until 65 before retirement fund kicks in.

Agreed politicans should only get pensions once they reach retirement age like the rest of us ordinary taxpayers.
And no they should not be treated like retiring Gardaí or Defense forces personnel.

selfobsessed wrote: »

This is absolute NONSENSE. Being from the same town as Brian Cowen those of us in Offaly know that he does not care whatsoever about wealth. His wife drives a car which is over 10 years old, they have a reasonably modest house and one of their daughter's works in a shop locally. Also OP Cowen was NOT corrupt, shame on you for spouting that bull****.

Boo hooo, let me get my littel fiddle out. :rolleyes:
BTW I would not claim his house is modest.

The three top American papers, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, all used the same description -- "a circus" -- to put into words what went on here with cowens leadership battles.

Well he wasn't so much the ringmaster of that circus, but the not funny clowen.

This is your fellow Clara man's legacy to the country.
From the Wall St Journal.

Irish Grasp at EU, IMF Lifeline

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704104104575621952890262526.html

ArtSmart

JonathanAnon wrote: »

He didnt have the moral courage to make the changes necessary to cool down the property crisis when he was Minister For Finance, and that will be his legacy. Himself, McCreevy and Ahern should have been charged with criminal negligence in the handling of the country, similar to the ex PM in Iceland.. Instead they have all been showered with riches for detrimentally damaging the country with irresponsible Government policies..

dont you sleep Johnny?

yeah, Cowen's biggest mistake was not calling a general election soon as he became Taoiseach and formed a coalition with labour , esp having an idea as to what was coming.
that way, the govt is stable and opposition is silenced - kenny not being regarded as opposition (course, kenny'd be gone if that happened)

course i assume standard FF arrogance ruled out such an idea.

ArtSmart

selfobsessed wrote: »

This is absolute NONSENSE. Being from the same town as Brian Cowen those of us in Offaly know that he does not care whatsoever about wealth. His wife drives a car which is over 10 years old, they have a reasonably modest house and one of their daughter's works in a shop locally. Also OP Cowen was NOT corrupt, shame on you for spouting that bull****.

and he holidays in a caravan! (in Connemara)

true, i dont believe the man was corrupt, but his loyalty to FF blinded him to other options.

mikemac

Am I right in saying he had the shortest period as Taoiseach ever?

D'Peoples Voice

selfobsessed wrote: »

This is absolute NONSENSE. Being from the same town as Brian Cowen those of us in Offaly know that he does not care whatsoever about wealth.

maybe you're right, we are too quick to judge

The only other interests registered by the cabinet include Taoiseach Brian Cowen's property interests which include three apartments which are rented – two in Dublin and one in Carr Mills student accommodation centre in Leeds, England.

source:http://www.tribune.ie/news/article/2010/may/09/bank-shares-flats-in-hungary-and-mobile-homeshow-o/

imme

The Ceann Comhairle has dissolved the Dail after speeches from an Taoiseach and the party leaders.
Brian Cowen has gone to Aras an Uachtaran to seek a dissolution of the Dail.

The election is upon us.:eek:

Aishae

i think i can sum it up in a nutshell... Brian Cowan is only human and he is a family man. but as a political figure elected by the public, you hold certain obligations to your country. you will most likely be held to a higher standard with higher expectations. and this is pretty much an unwritten rule.

whatever did or didnt happen on a golf course - before this came to light it was already widely agreed by the country that buying out Anglo was a bad move.

he's gone now - the whole thing has given us - the electorate - the power to chose who gets in. and its shown the big boys that they can and will be held accountable now. we can hope...

my thoughtS:
i would hope that the whole thing gets scrutinized by a court of law but at the same time that would be tax payers money. as much as i want the man to answer some questions truthfully, i think at least at present, the money is needed elsewhere to get the country back on its feet

Sir Oxman

Aishae wrote: »

my thoughtS:
i would hope that the whole thing gets scrutinized by a court of law but at the same time that would be tax payers money. as much as i want the man to answer some questions truthfully, i think at least at present, the money is needed elsewhere to get the country back on its feet

I disagree.
The country won't be able to move on until the truth is out, accountability taken and justice administered.

Aishae

can we afford another mahon tribunal though? in terms of cost i mean. yeah i want him answering questions and explaining the whole bank issue. and whatever justice served. but getting the hse sorted for example, would be a priority for me.

or better yet - bring Cowan and his cronies up on things in court. but set out strict rules as to taxpayers money being spent. for example: NT paying for their defense

ilovesleep

gambiaman wrote: »

I disagree.
The country won't be able to move on until the truth is out, accountability taken and justice administered.

+85 billion

it was reported in the sunday business post that the DoF was issueing warnings to FF from as early as the early 00s about FF disastrous fiscal policies in which they - mccreevy, ahern and cowen ignored. This would tell me that they did this to buy votes from the electorate and to gain power.

A user here on boards wrote that the ex PM of iceland was charged with criminal negligence in the running of their country.

We cannot let people walk away free for what they have done to ireland. Its beyond me how we're not out protesting day and night for justice.

Aishae

in another thread i saw folks talking about the fact several politicians like Bertie Ahern, were not brought up on crminal charges. It wasnt illegal. it wasnt illegal... and so on....
but i was thinking 2 things. one we dont know for sure if what they did was illegal cos not all of them - if any, i dont know... - were brought up on charges over it. and two it seems you can get away with anything if its supposedly done in the best interests of the country.

so, thinking about it in that way then people need to be shown you cant abuse the power given to them