The traditional greeting at the Democratic National Convention is, “Where do you teach?” On rare occasions, the greeting is modified to, “Where does your husband teach?” or “Where does your gay lover teach?” (Democrats could save a lot of money by holding the Democratic National Convention and the National Education Association Convention at the same time.)

The Democrats keep loudly proclaiming that Republicans represent only extremely white rich people, while the Democrats represent all Americans. (Bar bet: Among the four major candidates for president and vice president this year, who has the smallest net worth? Answer: George Bush.)

If the Democrats are a fair cross-section of America, then I guess we can stop worrying about class size. As a friend of mine points out, if the Democratic delegates represent America, then the teacher-student ratio in this country is, at worst, one teacher for every three students. And since the teachers unions don’t include private or parochial school teachers, we’re looking at a teacher-student ratio of about one teacher for every one student.

Democrats are representative of the nation only if the nation we’re talking about is Brazil. For Democrats, there is only the maid and millionaires. There are no Americans in the middle. To the extent Democrats are forced to recognize working-class white men, they call them “fascists.”

To thunderous applause here in the American Taliban, billionaire Teresa Heinz Kerry said she looks forward to a day when “women who have earned the right to be opinionated will be called smart and informed — just as men are.” It’s no wonder Democrats weren’t interested in liberating Afghanistan and Iraq from woman-hating Islamicist fanatics: They think real oppression of women consists of people calling Teresa “opinionated” right here in the USA.

How did Teresa “earn” the right to be opinionated again? By marrying inherited wealth? She also boasted that the Heinz family charity, John Kerry, “earned his medals the old-fashioned way.” A couple of sponges on another man’s wealth might want to steer clear of using the word “earn” so much. Democrats don’t believe in capitalism and don’t worry about taxes on earned income because they can’t imagine there is any way to “earn” money other than the Teresa Heinz-John Kerry way.

Despite colossal efforts by the Democrats to fake out Americans and pretend the Democrats are normal Americans who love their country, every once in a while they make a mistake and give us a “tell.” The Democrats have carefully studied Americans, observed their habits and expressions, so you would think for five days the Democrats could pull off a passable impression.

Special-effects artists are working overtime. Gore was prohibited from screeching about Republicans being Nazis, and Clinton was told not to show up in a toga. Democrats unable to conceal their America-hating pacifism were relieved of their anti-war signs and escorted to the free-speech veal pens a few blocks from the convention center.

Convention organizers even forced the delegates to choke their way through the Pledge of Allegiance — something the teachers’ students are not allowed to say. The delegates play along, pretending they know the words and making the occasional random reference to “God,” trying not to sound ironic.

But, inevitably, they stumble, dogs start growling, and you realize these people are androids.

In a prepared speech carefully reviewed by the Democrats’ Americanization team, Jimmy Carter said: “After 9/11, America stood proud.” Proud? I believe “proud” was the last emotion most Americans were feeling after 9/11, coming in considerably behind, for example, “fighting mad,” “incensed,” “enraged,” “humiliated” and “vengeful.” It didn’t occur to any of the Democrats vetting Carter’s speech to cut that line? “What’s the matter, Prince? Why are you growling? That’s just a moderate Democrat.”

Even as Democrats ape Republicans — producing a platform that lyingly claims Democrats support war with Iraq, the Patriot Act and the defense of America — the fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats can’t help slipping out: Democrats are not angry about 9/11. Sad, maybe — sad that it didn’t happen on Clinton’s watch so his legacy would be more than a semen stain. But they’re not angry.

Indeed, the belle of the ball at the convention is noted patriot Michael Moore, who apparently thinks Americans who voted for George Bush deserved to be killed on 9/11. The day of the attack, Moore wrote this on his Web page: “Many families have been devastated tonight. This is just not right. They did not deserve to die. If someone did this to get back at Bush, then they did so by killing thousands of people who DID NOT VOTE for him! Boston, New York, D.C. and the planes’ destination of California — these were places that voted AGAINST Bush!” Perhaps Moore could provide the terrorists with a map of the red states before the next attack.

This week, Moore was boasting about how well-received he was by the Democrats in Boston — evidenced by his yukking it up in a sky box with former president Jimmy Carter. He has been hugged by DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe and praised by impeached former president Bill Clinton.

Moore’s only concession to the Democrats’ role-playing is to deny that he is a Democrat, hoping enough Americans were taught by public school teachers that no one will know how to look up Moore’s voter registration card. (“Democrat.”)

Moore says Bush must be defeated because Bush lied about the war in Iraq. Ninety-three percent of the delegates agree with him, saying they oppose the war in Iraq, according to a New York Times/CBS News poll.

But the Democrats’ candidates for president and vice president both voted for war with Iraq. Their party platform supports the war with Iraq. (Let’s just hope wherever the delegates teach, they’re not teaching logic.)

The only “issues” Democrats dare discuss publicly are the things everyone can agree on: They are for “jobs,” a good economy and the middle class. None of their blather ever touches on any issue on which Democrats and Republicans could possibly disagree.

The issues on which the parties differ are: pre-emptive attacks on terror-producing nations, gay marriage, gun control, partial-birth abortion, taxes, letting non-citizens and felons vote. But the Democrats won’t talk about those issues. This is the Democrats’ week to make-believe they are Republicans for the folks watching at home on TV. In the lingo of the delegates, this is “story time.”