And now for something completely different....

We are developing a culture based on the "Ken Lay" defense: i.e., so long as you can seal off the top person, the person who is at the "top" because he/she is supposed to be the responsible one, then anything under their authority can be done with impunity. Remember "The Buck Stops Here"? That was a different reality. Now our reality is "The Matrix:" There is no buck, and there is no "here."

Supporters of U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay protested at an event Thursday held by the Democratic candidate for the congressman's seat, and the event quickly dissolved into a shouting and shoving match. Police were called, but made no arrests.

"I got pushed. I got hit. I got a sign wadded up in my face and my hat pulled down over my eyes," said Marsha Rovai, 69, a supporter of Nick Lampson. "They just did it to be nasty."

DeLay campaign manager Chris Homan said he organized the protest but DeLay, a Republican, didn't know about it.

"Mr. Lampson is going to have to get used to being confronted about his voting record the next seven months," Homan said.

So DeLay is out of the race, but he's going to keep campaigning against Lampson anyway? And DeLay is absolved of all responsibility because his campaign manager doesn't tell him what is being done in his name?

I suppose, by the same token, DeLay can act in Jesus' name, claiming the authority without making Jesus responsible for what DeLay does. But then that's the whole point: if you act on another's authority, apparently no one has to take responsibility.

There is no buck. Just learn that, and you will know how deep the rabbit hole goes.