Tag Archives: Cowen

Cowen and Fianna Fail in Denial

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We deserve the leaders we get. If Fianna Fail vote confidence in Brian Cowen tonight, its opponents will be delighted and FiannaFail will not deserve to survive. Period. Listening to Cowen, the subtext to his every utterance is ‘denial’. How anyone with an ounce of sense could believe that Cowen is the best man for the job beggars belief. And he tells Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 just now that the way he handled the IMF bailout was grand. Even though his stooges Ministers Dermot Ahern and Noel Dempsey were haplessly televised together shaking their head denying the IMF were about to move in one week before the IMF bailout. Well might Dempsey and Ahern grab their pensions and run. Neither would be re-elected. But if FF vote Cowen back in tonight, voting confidence in their ‘leader’ who has led Ireland to such ignominy and distress (denied by Cowen, of course), then FF deserves to go the way of tyrannosaurus rex. Voting for Cowen tonight is nothing other than lemmings sauntering over cliffs and turkeys voting for Christmas. If they do so, they cannot blame Cowen for their demise but themselves. Will De Valera turn in his grave if Sinn Fein leads the Opposition in the next Dail ahead of the rump of FF?

A Sad Day for Ireland

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It’s a sad day for Ireland. Maybe I’ll just leave it at that. Let it hover. And not mention our hapless prime minister Brian Cowen who insisted for the past several days that we were not in negotiations with the IMF et al. At least the governor of the Irish Central Bank was candid this morning. But what kind of imbeciles does Cowen think we are, hiding behind jargon, patronising the people who – perish the thought – put him in power. And what kind of prime minister holds on to power knowing that if he went to the country his party would be decimated? This goverment sold themselves to the electorate last time on the grounds that the economy would only be safe in their hands. As jokes go, it’s a howler. This government has no moral right to govern. A short three-week campaign could see a new government installed which had a mandate from the people to lead us through the next four years. But those in power will never willingly cede it. Do they honestly believe that were they to leave power that Ireland would be in a worse state than it is in today? ‘Shite and onions!’ as James Joyce once said.

Ireland needs an election now

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It’s a bank holiday Monday in Ireland. It was cold last night – minus five. The sky is blue, the frost has gone, except when shadows keep back the heat of the sun. It’s a glorious day. Our economy seems knackered. After the pride of the Celtic Tiger follows the ignomy of basket-case economy. The banks have had us. A government that has lost its moral right to govern persists in holding on, avoiding the electorate, terrified that they will be annihilated. The new government in the UK has a four-year mandate. Our discredited government has only a legal mandate, and the longer they cling to power, the more surely it will be pulled from their grasp come election day. They should call an election now and we could proceed through the next four years with a government – whatever government would be formed – with the credibility to lead us through for the next four crucial years. Shame on you Mr Cowen for not calling an election now and seeking the mandate of your boss – the people – to proceed. You will not hide from the people forever.