The importance of the grass roots in Irish politics couldn’t have been more strongly underscored than in the presidential style homecoming received by newly elected Taoiseach Brian Cowen in his native County Offaly last weekend.

Aspiring politicians take note. Policies may be agreed at Cabinet but the political heartbeat thuds elsewhere.

Cowen is taking a strong stance on his first major challenge, with reports that TD’s, Senators or anybody else who does not  toe the party line and campaign fully in support of the upcoming Lisbon Treaty will risk some pretty serious consequences.

Fighting talk indeed!  The question is, after more than a decade of communications based on the carrot of the Bertie’s ambiguities, how will we all learn to cope with the classic Cowen stick?

Such a stance leaves no one in doubt, from a communications or any other perspective, about who is in charge.  (But then there was never much doubt with Bertie either…)