Is Brian Cowen a decisive leader like his hero? Let's consult the sub-committe..

[Congalltee]

Here is what he said of Sean Lemass, a leader he has said he admires and who he regards as "dynamic patriot of great force and ability" :

This viewpoint reflects the pragmatism which Lemass brought to politics. He was, to use a modern term, a can-do politician who believed energy, activism and decisiveness were crucial ingredients in public life. He was also not a man who could be easily deterred by criticism and the risk-taker in him meant that he was never afraid to apply the philosophy of 'speculating to accumulate' to policy formulation or decision-making.

Department of Taoiseach - Speech by An Taoiseach, Mr Brian Cowen, At the launch of "Judging Lemass" In the Royal Irish Academy, Dawson, Street, Dublin, 29th September 2009.



Let's review Cowen' tenure:

1. Establish An Bord Snip - unimplemented.
'An Bord Snip' rolled out to tackle Exchequer shortfall - National News, Frontpage - Independent.ie
Tánaiste clarifies 'no sense' remark on McCarthy report | BreakingNews.ie

2. Commision on Taxation - ignored.
RTÉ News: Lenihan rules out new property tax

3. The post Lisbon 1 figleaf - did it's job in buying time before running it again.
The National Forum on Europe*****-*****Taoiseach engages in robust debate with Forum Members on Lisbon Treaty

4. He wanted an oireachtas committee to review the utilty of keeping e-voting machine until John Gormley just acted.
Cabinet rift denied over e-voting decision - The Irish Times - Mon, May 04, 2009

5. Similarily his insistence on an Oireachtas Committee to consider John O'Donoghue's situation sealed his fate.
RTÉ News: Transparent expenses system proposed

6. He has even established an internal FF committee to make the Party fit for purpose under the chairmanship of ...wait for it... no this will kill you...Gerry Collins
Fianna Fil | Renewal: Your thoughts and ideas for our party

7. The PfG has 40 reviews included in it.
Department of Taoiseach - Taoiseach Brian Cowen Comments on the proposed Programme for Government.

8. The future direction of the Irish economy
Business And Leadership: Taoiseach opens economic forum in Farmleigh - Leadership

[Mitsui2]

Sometimes it's good to have stuff laid out in detail, even when you already knew the general gist of it.

He is obviously a bad combination of utter decisiveness and one-trick-pony-ness: "we've absolutely decided to immediately...er...set up a committee".

[Eamonn20Bn plus interest]

Cowen takes no actions. But Lenihan is worse - he always takes the wrong action.

[Newsy]

He is a dire leader. I truly believe he is full of fear and that is a MAJOR problem of him and unfortunately now, for us.

[Graham]

I'm not 100% regarding Brian's "dynamic patriot of great force and ability"
But Cowen has a serious neck on him the clown.
To give some balance to the debate he's a fair man for the gargle
And what keeps me in high spirits is, Cowen took out an AIB mortgage of at least 100pc to pay for a luxury apartment at the height of the boom as below. You can make that number 9

As experts called for 100% loans to be outlawed, guess who was taking one out? | Mail on Sunday (London, England), The Newspaper | Find Articles at BNET

[Congalltee]

Err thanks graham, but this is not just an abuse Cowen thread, more an accusation of abdication. At some cost.

That said, at least his own mortgage is only 100%, the mortgage we all have until the 29th September, 2010, is 300% of the entire economy. His committee that day of the bank guarantee was Lenny, the Sec gens of finance and Taoiseach, the AG...and the Chairmen and Chief Execs of the two main banks.

[Graham]

Clongalltee, I'm with you my point being the man has his own financial troubles, He's only human after all ''I think anyway'' !!!!!!
For instance I own half my house nothing else I have a fairly big mortgage on it. I feel its right for a property tax to be introduced at the moment on 2nd 3rd houses, Rented out etc Cowen because of his personal situation obviously doesn't.
to be thinking the country's debt wouldn't be good for me but I do have one more issue with Cowen I paid 36,000 Punts Stamp Duty for my house in 2002 the house cost 260,000 punts, Years later I find out the below and he's leading this country after saving the the developers millions in Stamp Duty payments. The Banks are only the latest disaster caused by the clown. ''That's more than some cost partner''

A confidential government report reveals how developers – and even local and national authorities – are wiping millions off their tax bill using a complex loophole.

Stamp duty loophole still open: ThePost.ie

[irish_bob]

He is a dire leader. I truly believe he is full of fear and that is a MAJOR problem of him and unfortunately now, for us.

his body language screams fear , everytime one of his ministers comes out with some potentially unpopular policy suggestion , biffo is immedietly out to say its only an option , he also reaches for the comfort blanket of the ghastly social partnership fiasco at every turn

[Congalltee]

his body language screams fear , everytime one of his ministers comes out with some potentially unpopular policy suggestion , biffo is immedietly out to say its only an option , he also reaches for the comfort blanket of the ghastly social partnership fiasco at every turn

9. Social Partnership. Good God how could I have forsaken this in my list of abdicating decisionmaking? For four years as Minister for Finance, Cowen allowed double digit increases in the public sector payroll bill. Current spending was ramped up massively to appease there glorified lobbyists. This will cost the Irish taxpayer even more than the overpayment to banks using the nama mechanism. Of course the effects of this collective thought process - which replaced the senate as second chamber- led to side benefits to higher paid public servants, as judges, senior civil servants and politicians pay were all linked. And as Lemass said 'a rising tide lifts all boats'

[Congalltee]

9. Social Partnership. Good God how could I have forsaken this in my list of abdicating decisionmaking? For four years as Minister for Finance, Cowen allowed double digit increases in the public sector payroll bill. Current spending was ramped up massively to appease there glorified lobbyists. This will cost the Irish taxpayer even more than the overpayment to banks using the nama mechanism. Of course the effects of this collective thought process - which replaced the senate as second chamber- led to side benefits to higher paid public servants, as judges, senior civil servants and politicians pay were all linked. And as Lemass said 'a rising tide lifts all boats'

This led to the Review of Higher Remuneration for Higher Paid Pubic Servants. Only the question begged. Cowen did not invent this one, it has been around since 1969. But in 2005 he ordered an interim report because the 2000 report was deemed inadequate. It gave a 7 % increase. Cowen delegated once more in 2007 and they produced results which would have led to increases right up to March 2009. Leadership and vision are not the words one associates with this..