The Washington Post has just issued the first of a four-part report on Herr Cheney. The first installment is quite long, but appears to be fairly well researched:

WP: Cheney exerts influence out of public view.

It should be interesting to see what is yet to come.

Both Bush and Cheney have claimed that there is "precedent" for the executive branch being "exempt from the law." The claims seem based in part on what they claim were similar actions by some former presidents.

Most of us have always believed that a "precedent," in the most used sense is only established after judicial review and the rendering of a proper opinion; but the argument of Bush, and particularly of Cheney, would establish that while there was a serial murderer active in my town who killed more than a dozen people over a period of more than 30 years, a precedent making it okay for others to murder had been established? Of course the serial killer was caught, tried, and convicted, which overturns that precedent, but prior to the trial the claim of "precedents" would exactly equate to the claims of this administration.... ?

Both Bush and Cheney have frequently and repeatedly asserted that they are above the law, citing both the laws passed by Congress and International law as exemplified in the Geneva Convention. They have claimed the "right" to act in secret, and to "do whatever" to both US citizens and any others, without respect for any other authority.

They have claimed the "right" to imprison, without charge, "anyone they want to," and have created a secret court, the membership of which is unknown to the public, and which consists entirely of those appointed by ONE PERSON hand-picked by Herr Cheney (The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is the only person who selects members of the court, or who legally knows who they are.) Opinions of the secret court are mostly unpublished, except when Herr Bush and Herr Cheney wish to claim a "legal point."

The "precedent" most obviously applied by them, is that of Hitler, Goering, and Himmler. (But that's just my opinion, I suppose.)

John