The Answer is Blowing in the Wind

Do you know the word Omertà? It is the code of silence practiced by the Mafia. The code goes like this "Whoever appeals to the law against his fellow man is either a fool or a coward. Whoever cannot take care of himself without that law is both. For a wounded man shall say to his assailant, 'If I live, I will kill you. If I die, you are forgiven.' Such is the rule of honor.” The word is not original to the Mafia and its roots also refer to manly.

It seems that the code of silence is the final bond holding the Bush administration together. The President cannot fire Alberto Gonzales. Gonzales is needed to protect White House secrets and the scheming of Cheney and Rove.

The following just might exhibit the actions of the Bush administration to keep a lid on everything:

• Honesty is dishonorable.
• Silence is manly.
• Penitence is weakness.
• Loyalty trumps law.
• Protecting higher-ups is patriotism.
• Stonewalling is idealism.
• Telling the truth is informing.
• Cooperation with investigators is cowardice.
• Breaking the code is betrayal.
  

As with the Mafia, once the code is shattered, however, no one can be trusted and the entire edifice crumbles.

Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head,

Pretending he just doesn't see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,

The answer is blowin' in the wind.

The President is using the longest list of Executive Privileges of any President, and we aren’t sure where it will end. The use of the privilege has gotten out of hand that we find this most exhausting, tedious quote of a witness before the Senate Judicial Committee. White House political aide J. Scott Jennings, "testifying" today before the Senate Judiciary Committee on White House involvement in the firing of U.S. attorneys last year:

"Please understand, Senators, that I have the utmost respect for this committee. And a contempt citation is not something that I take lightly. To the contrary, if a court ultimately determines that Congress' need for the information
outweighs the president's assertion of executive privilege, I would welcome the
opportunity to answer your questions on the U.S. attorneys matter.

"Until that time, however, I am compelled to abide by the president's directive, particularly given my status as a current White House employee. In light of these considerations, as well as a desire to be as consistent as possible and
avoid even the appearance of selectively answering questions, I will be unable
at this time to answer any questions concerning White House consideration,
deliberations or communications related to the U.S. attorneys matter, regardless
of whether specific documents or conversations may already have been discussed
publicly by others. To do otherwise would directly violate the president's
order."

Whew!

How many times must a man look upBefore he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man haveBefore he can hear people cry?
How many times must we hear and not understand
Before we say stop?
How many times must we see poverty?
Before we understand what to do.
The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind,
The answer is blown' in the wind.

Thanks to Bob Dylan, a fresh sound in the naïve days of my youth.