"Faust and the adjective Faustian imply a situation in which an ambitious person surrenders moral integrity in order to achieve power and success for a delimited term."
It's hard to reconcile the ethics of John Boehner with anything. Except, perhaps, that winning is everything. This within a context of complete moral certainty and blindness because he thinks he is right and he is driven to win and when he does he is reassured of his rightness, a positive feedback loop.
As it was when he played football in high school at Cincinnati Moeller under Gerry Faust. They did nothing but win, which they had prayed for to God or the Blessed Virgin or the patron saint of ass-kicking. But, for anyone who witnessed the spectacle and debacle of Faust at Notre Dame, well, it was difficult to see the Jesus in that.
Gerry Faust, though, is sure that Jesus and the Blessed Mother had a hand in it all to this day. And John Boehner must have the same certainty, which makes it possible for him to carry on as a political thug with way more composure than Gerry ever had, at Moeller or anywhere. But Boehner is in fact Faust.
He has won just by getting into the position he's in. But from there it's all failure. Failed policies on every front. The record is as clear as Notre Dame's under Gerry-the-misguided, but that's not how they keep track. Partly because Jesus made it happen. Through the intercession of the BVM, surely, to whom Gerry is particularly devoted.
This is so medieval, I think, as I see the carcasses of working people carried away on their shields. And children and the elderly, dying because life's necessary resources are all spent stupidly, and in further consolidating wealth. Tax cuts for the rich! Did these guys think a little man with horns would actually approach them?
And make them an offer on their souls? It doesn't work that way. That's in the movies and plays and books, you idiot Reaganites. In real life it just happens, because you want something so much you don't see the damage you do to get it. Also with John and Gerry I think there's an authority angle.
You don't fuck with authority. Catholic sensibilities applied to our government and society, America ex cathedra. Always right, that is -- infallible. Boehner's evangelical allies come at it from another place. The institution stands in the way of your salvation. You want it stripped down to nothing.
An odd alliance. But back to Boehner. What do we do with the guy? He's just such an asshole. His high school football ethics aren't up to the job, I would say. Lo, Gerry Faust is now a motivational speaker. We'll bring him in. Perhaps, together, they can bend reality to their will. Gerry will recommend war, I bet.
War is so like football, a game to be won, against Obama or the Democrats or some foreigners, like that foray into Iraq, maybe. Gerry, you ever think you might be wrong on this? That life can't be reduced to football and isn't, in fact, like football? Pray on that, please, but avoid those dastardly, imaginary WMD's.
This is the other aspect of the thing, apart from the religious self-righteousness. They have no idea what to do if they can't run something through the petty combat model. It's the only model they have. And the pettiness is important because in football you live to play again, more or less. But not if you're an Iraqi.
Or, otherwise dead. Nothing petty in that. Or someone else whose life has been destroyed in another way by the Boehnerites. I guess respect for life has its limits. Meanwhile, all we can do is watch the Republican demolition derby. Someone will win, by their tally, but we'll all be way worse off in the end.
See if they care.
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