That’s the common thread that connects Foley using his power as a Rep so he could line up 16-year-olds for ice cream runs, Bush using his power as President for torture, and every Republican malefaction in between. The Republicans are one and all, without exception, in the game for whatever they can grab by the handful whenever they think they have the power to get away clean with the loot: All the way from a nearby pageboy through stacks of cash at the CPA to the oil under the sands of Iraq. They’re all the same: Abuse of power. That’s why they sought power. (It’s also why they can’t govern, only rule.)

And the part about getting away clean? For Republicans, that’s the abuse that’s better than sex. Or perhaps… To them it is sex. The id is political.

All of which is another way of saying that the Foley story is not a “gay” story, despite our helpful SCLM and other clueless Beltway operatives forcing the narrative into that frame.

Sure, our Department of Schadenfreude has been working 24/7 to process all the Pedo-Foley-a material, and it’s always pleasant to see Republicans who vote against their own human dignity — Foley voted for the so-called Defense of Marriage Act — being outed, but honestly, we don’t care.

It’s the Republicans who care if Foley is gay.

It’s the Republicans who want to keep the rest of their gay staffers and Congresscritters closeted.

It’s the Republicans and their delusional, animal-kinked Base who care.

From the pure public policy perspective, it’s better for the country to have the closeted Republicans come out into the light. From a spiritual perspective, too.

Such a sadness that the Republicans just can’t do the right thing.

Such a sadness that the Republicans can’t be trusted with power, because they get off on abusing it.

And isn’t it lovely that doing the right thing is also the mother of all wedge issues, and will split the Republican party right down the middle.