To the editor:

Just when I believe I can’t be any more disgusted with the government in Washington, things reach a new low. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, have known since last spring about the sexual advances made to a 16-year-old page by Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla. These ranking members of the majority Republican Party failed to take appropriate action, leaving young boys to be sexually preyed upon.

When party loyalty trumps doing what’s right, we as a nation are in deep, deep trouble (have you looked around recently?). Republican leadership seems to be more concerned with preserving their tenuous hold on power than in doing what’s best for America.

I’m afraid that just like after other recent scandals (lobbying, Abu Ghraib, defense-contractor corruption, etc.) a lot of hot air will be expended by politicians, denouncing how deplorable this is, but nothing will be done. Any elected official who had prior knowledge of Foley’s actions with teenage boys should resign or be removed from office. That would be the “right” thing to do, but that seems to be in short supply these days.

Daniel Patrick Schamle,

Lawrence