Well, Rich, you’re right about that, and that’s the same institutional problem we’ve seen with the Catholic hierarchy and its response to the sex-abuse scandal. It’s an axiom of sociology that having spent enough time in power, any elite will begin to identify their own interests with the interests of the institution. This is why I’ve not been one to go for conspiracy theories to explain why Cardinal Law stayed in office so long, or why he retained so many corrupt priests. Plain old human pride and vanity explains a Lott — er, lot. It’s been clear to many Catholics for some time how much damage has been done to the institutional Church from this dysfunctional policy, just as it is clear to so many conservatives how much damage is being done and will be done to the GOP if it persists in this misplaced loyalty. Let’s all of us keep yelling, and maybe the Republican Senators, and the President, will get it, and act before much more damage is done to the party’s credibility.