Brian Cowen's State of the Nation Speech - Now Its Pay-Per-View Government

Brian Cowen has promised us a State of the Nation speech. Harry McGee in the Irish Times reported last week

Quote :

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is expected to make a "state of the nation" style speech in September setting out his approach to dealing with the economic downturn.
The Irish Times understands from a senior source in Government that the address may be made around the time of Fianna Fáil's two-day parliamentary party "think-in" in Galway, which begins on September 15th. The source, who is close to Mr Cowen, said he had been criticised for not making such a speech upon becoming Taoiseach.

"One thing that is not credited is that it takes a little time for a new taoiseach to come to grips with the job and also to decide on a political philosophy pertaining to it," said the source. "That is what is happening now. He will make a state-of-the-nation address in September telling us where things are and what his prognosis is."

It is now a year since the credit crunch first hit the markets and the Irish banks and ISEQ slipped towards oblivion. Up until now there has been a resounding silence from government in terms of analysis of our position and a strategy for the future.

A big part of Brian Cowen's problem must be that he was responsible Minister for Finance since 2005, when it was already evident that Ireland was seriously losing competitivity and manufacturing employment was ebbing away. His "solution" was to fuel the already overheated property market further and to bloat public service employment and costs. In my view, Cowen's strategy was short term vote-buying, at the cost a collosal debt burden on young people and deep damage to Ireland's present and future economic viability.

Having said that, we have to start from where we are today. There are four weeks before Brian Cowen gives his address, so I thought the only decent thing to do would be for us to start a thread to help him out with some draft speeches and advice notes, to help him frame the final version.

Any volunteers?

Try this for a last line.

...I will therefore be seeking a meeting with The President with a view to dissolving the Dáil.

Great finish EVM... Anyone else want to try with an opener ?

"It is with great regret"?

One would hope that Brian Cowen would know his political philosophy for a good mny years and that any such address would state his strategy in an effort to galvanise people into a national effort.

Economic indicators have been very fluid and changeable as can be tracked from any threads on the economy. If he had made such an address before he would possibly look pretty stupid now.

Even making such an address now is risky and will demand serious skill and mettle if he is to avoid the twin dangers of (i) mis-stating /spinning the position and (ii) saying very little in an effort not to be caught out.

The important point about any such assessment is that it will have to come across as frank and purposeful. I think he is capable of that if he can keep his eye on the ball and off the other players.

johnfás wrote:

"It is with great regret"?

We're such an optimistic bunch aren't we.

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

I think he is capable of that if he can keep his eye on the ball and off the other players.

I actually disagree with that.

I think Brian Cowen's aura of success and capability is based on a fiction propagated by his supporters within Fianna Fáil and elsewhere. Whilst he might be competent, he has not demonstrated any particular political skill in the departments where he has tried his hand. His main strength within Fianna Fáil was his total commitment to the party and loyalty to his leader, whether it was Albert Reynolds or Bertie Ahern. That might be commendable and a source of strength for someone who is second in command. It means little when it is you who is at the helm.

I seriously question his ability as a political leader.

johnfás wrote:

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

I think he is capable of that if he can keep his eye on the ball and off the other players.

I actually disagree with that.

I think Brian Cowen's aura of success and capability is based on a fiction propagated by his supporters within Fianna Fáil and elsewhere. Whilst he might be competent, he has not demonstrated and particular political skill in the departments where he has tried his hand. His main strength within Fianna Fáil was his total commitment to the party and loyalty to his leader, whether it was Albert Reynolds or Bertie Ahern. That might be commendable and a source of strength for someone who is second in command. It means little when it is you who is at the helm.

I seriously question his ability as a political leader.

I have to agree with johnfás. Brian Cowen's silence from last summer on as Minister for Finance scared the lights out of me - the ISEQ fell by 50% without a word out of him. Ireland going into a period of world recession seems to be worse positioned than any other EU economy. Whilst one man can't be blamed for this, I can think of plenty of things he has done to make it worse and none to make it better.

In my view he shouldn't have taken the job, is not up to it, and the biggest sign of his intelligence is that he knows it.

johnfás wrote:

Zhou_Enlai wrote:

I think he is capable of that if he can keep his eye on the ball and off the other players.

I actually disagree with that.

I think Brian Cowen's aura of success and capability is based on a fiction propagated by his supporters within Fianna Fáil and elsewhere. Whilst he might be competent, he has not demonstrated and particular political skill in the departments where he has tried his hand. His main strength within Fianna Fáil was his total commitment to the party and loyalty to his leader, whether it was Albert Reynolds or Bertie Ahern. That might be commendable and a source of strength for someone who is second in command. It means little when it is you who is at the helm.

I seriously question his ability as a political leader.

I couldn't agree more. Brian Cowen is a classic Fianna Fail TD; competent but almost entirely devoid of any sense of vision or purpose beyond the interests of the party. Cowen is a party man to his fingertips, whereas Fianna Fail was just a platform and a power base for Ahern. Cowen's leadership seems rudderless and has no sense of purpose. More importantly for a politician, he seems to be very unlucky. Less than a year into his tenure and he has already suffered a failed referendum, a serious economic downturn and the effective collapse of social partnership.

People of Ireland,

It is with great regret (credit to johnfás) that I bring to the nation the following news.

When we said prior to the General Election in May 2007 that the economy was doing great, we were actually lying our holes off. We knew it was in the crapper but we said the opposite because winning elections is what Fianna Fail is all about. Sorry 'bout that.

But really you should have known this, because we lied our holes off in 2002 as well, and nobody really complained. So, like what do you expect if you're all morons ?

*Takes slurp of Guinness*

We stood idly by while the Central Bank and the Financial Regulator allowed everyone and anyone to issue bad loans to people who couldn't really afford them. This was good for us as a Government because it gave us loads of cash to play Monopoly with, and it made us look really clever, even though we hadn't a clue and we pissed it all away, but nobody really complained. In fact, ye all thought we were so good ye voted us in again in 2007. Like Oh My God ?

We also stood by while the Health service turned into Angola. Oh shit, did I say that out loud again ?
But like, Mary Harney looks after that and when the time comes we can hang her out on the wire, and that'll be that.

And then we stood by supported and indeed patted the back of one of the most devious of them all when he was in the Castle lying his hole off. And that poor woman getting caught between a rock and a hard place, Deirdre Carty I think her name was, or not, or anyway who gives a shit. Main thing is we got away with it and I got the top job. How cool is that ? How fucking stupid are you people really ?

And then it all went pear shaped, like we knew it would. But in a train wreck, even though the driver sees the other train coming, it's best not to tell the passengers. So we didn't tell ye because what ye don't know can't hurt ye. And anyway, we wanted to win the election, like I said.

*Takes slurp of Guinness*

So you see, it's all screwed up now, because our GDP is a fantasy. We have no real productivity in this country apart from hair-dressing and dog-grooming. And I don't want to take the blame for all this, sure I'm only in the job a wet week like.

*Finishes off pint of Guinness*

I will therefore be seeking a meeting with The President with a view to dissolving the Dáil.

Might go a little something like this

I take it people don't think Cowen is going to pull too many rabbits out of the hat come September then?

cactus flower wrote:

I take it people don't think Cowen is going to pull too many rabbits out of the hat come September then?

You know what he will say - FF are doing their utmost under the circumstances and are making a good job of it - look at the savings made here and there - by not accepting pay rises that were originally advised by independent consultants. Sure some projects like the dual carriageway between Limerick and Galway has been sacrificed but under the changing world economic circumstances it is necessary to look at what we've achieved - 40 bypasses open in the lifetime of this govermment. After the Celtic Tiger comes out of hibernation we'll join em all up.

They'll blame it on something else as they always do, the ****s.

Auditor #9 wrote:

cactus flower wrote:

I take it people don't think Cowen is going to pull too many rabbits out of the hat come September then?

You know what he will say - FF are doing their utmost under the circumstances and are making a good job of it - look at the savings made here and there. Sure some projects like the dual carriageway between Limerick and Galway has been sacrificed but under the changing world economic circumstances it is necessary to look at what we've achieved - 40 bypasses open in the lifetime of this govermment. After the Celtic Tiger comes out of hibernation we'll join em all up.

They'll blame it on something else as they always do, the ****s.

If you were in his position Auditor #9, what would you say?

If I were Brian Cowen I would hope that I wouldn't have got myself into this mess in the first place. His lassez-faire attitude towards running a serious campaign in the Lisbon Referendum was the first sign of a weak Taoiseach.

Thereafter I would tell it like it is. The Government has been purposely drip feeding information about the economic situation and its solutions with the hope that none of us would notice. I would get all the statistics together, bring them out into the public domain, explain the Government's strategy for solving the problem, whilst maintaining that it must be fluid in order to deal with a changing situation.

I would then tell the public that if they want to enjoy the standard of living they are accustomed to they will have to compromise on issues such as pay restraint, as will politicians - in the national interest.

I would also point out that our country and society is more than an economy.

I would end by telling them that they can judge me on my record in an election within 20 months.

So he could use my speech then ?

Quote :

If you were in his position Auditor #9, what would you say?

The above because I'd be cornered by a sequence of events that have their root in inaction and inequitable action taken in the past. I'd focus on what FF has done and how things have changed despite the housing downturn - wasn't it inevitable? And we reviewed the sub-prime lenders and regulation and took action and now that's fixed too. And we are reviewing some of the co-location projects but the one in X is doing brilliant and we hope to push forward. The free market is not perfect but look at the benefits it has brought us... and look what it will bring us again. We have plenty of projects in the pipeline and this downturn will be temporary.

We can only do so much with what we have but we are a small cog in a very big international economy (America) that is going through a temporary period of stagnation only.

******************
But I'd hope that the likes of me wouldn't be in the position that Cowen is in now - negative equity, very energy dependent, the education system going nowhere, possible levels of emigration rising, poverty not being tackled, a burdensome public service, poor public transport and infrastructure in general. an economy facing a kick in the teeth by the WTO at some stage unless we diversify...

johnfás wrote:

I would also point out that our country and society is more than an economy.

This is too airy-fairy for FFers to hear - they like to hear down to earth stuff (how much is my land worth) not idealistic nonsense because it could be godless communism or more hippy shite like the Greens spout.

johnfás wrote:

I would then tell the public that if they want to enjoy the standard of living they are accustomed to they will have to compromise on issues such as pay restraint, as will politicians - in the national interest.

I pity the speechwriter who has to find an acceptable way of spinning that. You are right of course but it is a PR nightmare. The legacy of CJH looms large!

unaligned wrote:

johnfás wrote:

I would then tell the public that if they want to enjoy the standard of living they are accustomed to they will have to compromise on issues such as pay restraint, as will politicians - in the national interest.

I pity the speechwriter who has to find an acceptable way of spinning that. You are right of course but it is a PR nightmare. The legacy of CJH looms large!

You're right, unaligned. One of his problems is that too many people have been here, done that and have the T-shirt.

On reflection, I don't think it is fair though to blame one man. A lot of us were in it together. And the lack of anything like a decent opposition didn't help - FF didn't come under any pressure to confront reality. In the last election campaign FG were pressing for a bigger spend.

" I have come to this place today to urinate down the back of your neck and confirm precipitation....."

cactus flower wrote:

On reflection, I don't think it is fair though to blame one man. A lot of us were in it together. And the lack of anything like a decent opposition didn't help - FF didn't come under any pressure to confront reality. In the last election campaign FG were pressing for a bigger spend.

Absolutely. But Fine Gael and Labour weren't in Government the last ten years. I don't think we can excuse Fianna Fáil's ineptitude by saying they didn't come under pressure to confront reality. I'd have hoped the bollocking they should receive at the next election would be enough pressure for them to run the country properly.

That said, the economic reality of the day is the making of many many players in this society. I think if George Bush has ever said anything applicable to Ireland it is this:

I expect the next Dail session to be an interesting one. The dogs in the street (even the 38% who voted for them) knew that Fianna Fail never did 'the vision thing'. They plunder along, try to keep everyone happy, and hope to God that Noel Dempsey keeps his ideas to himself. Fianna Fail's unique selling point was competence. That notion is now dead and the emperor is bollock naked. If Fine Gael cannot make hay out of this series of events then they might as well pack up and go home. I expect that Enda will stand aside after the locals so perhaps they will be more successful at formulating a workable strategy after that.

I was very disappointed by Pat Rabbitte not allowing Labour (Joan Burton) to fight the election on the economy. But I guess that's for another day.

Good morning, my name is Magic Arse.......