Case study: Foley

The New York Times assesses the Foley fallout and all I have to say is -- this whole thing reads like a classic 1950s, J. Edgar Hoover era case study in repression, except for the part about Dennis Hastert as an external force helping the repression along and SMS technology making it harder for the Hooverites to lead their double lives. You have to realize now that the Republicans get off or "enjoy" in the Lacanian sense, for whatever it's worth -- getting away with being hypocrites, saying one thing and doing another-- therein lies their power.

Foley is an alleged "predatory" sexual harasser of underage boys, but serves on a House Committee to "protect" children. He may be in rehab, but the lesson is that you can get away with anything if you check yourself into the proper facility after your bout of public bad behavior. Scandalization of politics is not good for politics, witness Bill and Monica and the diversions that created. but abuse of power is what the GOP apparatchiks really enjoy.