We're losing our country. Not to the Democratic Party, obesity, chronic tooth rot, or a general sense of vague malaise.

No.

We're losing them to unreality.

On the eve of a Republican National Convention invoking 9/11 symbols, sound bytes and imagery, half (49.3%) of New York City residents and 41% of New York citizens overall say that some of our leaders "knew in advance that attacks were planned on or around September 11, 2001, and that they consciously failed to act," according to the poll conducted by Zogby International.

Right. And Bush was still an idiot because he thought for a few minutes, stunned, before acting. Shouldn't we then claim it was a brilliant act?

Consistency is not the long shot of many people.

What next?

Hat tip to Lileks.