This week I spoke with leading Democrats and Republicans and found a virtual consensus.

Unfortunately, you overstate your case by arguing that "there's a virtual consensus among economists that the minimum wage is an idea whose time has passed."

By virtual consensus, "Orlando" was the most dazzling film at the festival.

He added: "There is a virtual consensus in the world against an attack on Iraq at this time.

At this stage, there is a virtual consensus among academic experts that money, when spent well, will lead to improved educational outcomes.

There is now a virtual consensus that a significant American troop withdrawal will get under way in 2006.

But there's a virtual consensus among economists that the minimum wage is an idea whose time has passed.

But there's a virtual consensus that more is needed than the $23 billion that will automatically be cut under the Gramm-Rudman law.

But there was virtual consensus among redistricting experts in Albany and Washington today that those cases could take months or years to settle.

Curiously, you offer no evidence for either of these claims, citing instead an undefined "virtual consensus among economists."