Dick Cheney comes out in favor of allowing gay marriage on a state-by-state basis, not a one-size-fits-all basis and the comments at HuffPo are telling. Comparisons to how the south used states rights to defend Jim Crow, attacking his word choice about how his family has come to grips with a lesbian daughter and idiotic, uninformed comments about how he's too stupid to understand that federal law always trumps state law (it doesn't, unless it's an area of shared jurisdiction in the enumerated powers).
I wish I could say that this was primarily a left-wing thing, but conservatives, libertarians, etc. all do it too. This is why only the worst version of anything gets passed these days. It's easier to beat up on people you normally disagree with than work with them on the occasions that you actually agree on something.
I would agree in theory that State law takes precedence over Federal law, however, that is not how it works in practice. The Feds step in at any time they please and the States do nothing about it. Now there is the States Rights movement currently, but its of no more worth than the Monroe Doctrine if they won't back it up. Only time will tell us as sooner or later the FedGov is going to test the States to see if they stand up to it. And no doubt they will be choosing a State that is less staunch in its stand and dealing harshly behind the scenes to get them to crumble.
I have a hard time seeing how homogamy on a state-by-state basis is compatible with the full faith and credit clause.
The states can theoretically agree to not grant automatic reciprocity. Most of the time, states have to have reciprocal agreements with each other on things like traffic tickets to stick across state lines to your driver's license. Theoretically, states like Massachusetts with gay marriage and Alabama without it, could sign an accord on that basis saying that they don't respect each other's marriages.
So basically, he came out in favor of the status quo... way to take a stand.
What is strange about this whole thing is that in most cases, there is no requirement to ever prove you are married.
Government wants you to prove (with a valid marriage license) you have a spouse if you are in the military because they base benefits on that. But civilian employers I have had just accept that it is true because I say it is. The IRS has never made me prove I was married to my wife when I filed my joint income taxes. Nor has the State of Virginia, or my county. Even in every church I have been to, everyone assumes you are legally married if you sit together and wear wedding rings. I never attended the church I was married in so it is not like anyone there will remember me.
The only time anyone would care is if I filed for divorce, then the coursts would want to know what juristiction I was married in and when. I expect they would even take my word for it unless my wife contested it.
SO really, what good is the certificate and state recognition anyway?
It is a little ironic that homosexuals and polygamous people are seeking state recognition of their marriages at the same time as traditional couples are abandoning it.