I just cannot figure out why this kind of crap surprises anyone... but then again, I have The Washington Post delivered to my door every morning, and see all this every day.
What really leaves me dumbfounded is that the current administration, and the current supreme court, have this amazing reading disorder where, when it is to their advantage, they somehow see the word "except" in the Constitution and US Code, where it does not actually exist... and no one calls them on it. Example, with the reading disorder kicking in where there are italics: 14th Amendment, US Constitution - All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States, and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. Except if this equal protection is inconvenient, or if that citizen does not conform to your narrow world view. If so, you may at your discretion, disregard this amendment.
Another example is the "Full faith and credit" clause of the Constitution, which is effectively dismantled by the DOMA. Or the "Patriot Act", which dismantles the "Law of the Land" clause of Article VI, the peaceable assembly clause of amendment 1, entire amendment IV, entire amendment V, entire amendment VI, entire amendment X, and entire amendment XIV. Or whatever "emergency measures" were taken to give Halliburton the no-bid federal contract for Iraq reconstruction, in direct and explicit violation of US Code... folks the list goes on and on.
That Cheney supports whatever he supports (he just had a flash of that "except" thing) should not surprise anyone who glances at the news once a month or so. I'm not being a "gloom and doom alarmist" when I say that this administration has put us on a terribly slippery slope. Burying your head in the sand, and insisting that everything they do is in our best interest... well, when you finally realize what's going on, I'll be saying "told ya so."