Brian Cowen "What should I do?"

Lectured some university students today in News Reporting and asked them to talk directly to the government – using Post-It notes. After class, I was going on BBC2 NI’s show Hearts and Minds as a guest along with Martin Mansergh. I told them I would give them to him after the show. It didn’t happen – he stormed out claiming I was a populist and he couldn’t believe someone with views like mine worked for the Irish Times! Basically, I asked him some hard questions, challenged his views and he did not like it. I guess he is not used to people standing up to him. See it at 7.30pm on Thursday.

Anyway, thanks to the students for the inspirational comments. Here is a small selection of “citizen journalism” and what they said in response to “What should the government do?”:

“Go four weeks without your pay or your ministerial cars, feed your family off the dole and then come back and realise that unless you cop on everyone in this nation, which is supposedly in your charge, will face that fate or worse unless you cop on.”
“Focus spending on education to guarantee the future stability of the country”
“Start actually doing politics, which is acting for the people, for the country which you are a part of. You are gambling with our future.”
“Get ideas from appropriate experts weighed up and acted upon ASAP.”
“Close down Anglo Irish Bank. Waste of money.”
“…Stop worrying about your jon and take some risks to get our economy back on track..”
“Join the commonwealth again…”
“If your economy is going to survive every single person who allowed this catastrophe to happen must be replaced immediately.  That includes your entire cabinet”

Popularity: 60% [?]