What planet is Scott Stantis living on?

Check out today's "Prickly City":
Differences of opinion or points of view are one thing. But what possible argument is there for Dick Cheney being some kind of compromise-minded middle-grounder on civil liberties vs. security? The Bush Administration's argument all along has been "This is what we need to do to protect us, and it's legal," essentially daring Congress, the courts, and the public to call them out on the unconstitutionality of their actions. Not once have I heard Bush or Cheney argue something along the lines of "Here is the balance we have struck to preserve liberties while protecting the country." It's always a matter of just asserting that anything is justifiable as long as it supposedly protects us. If Dick Cheney is defining your center, exactly who is at the extremes?

Update: Mike Benedetti provides a reasonable alternative interpretation of this strip in the comments section.