Voters, pay careful attention to the man behind the curtain

The Democratic Party has anointed former Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., in a virtual, drama-free nominating convention.

The Democrats presented a unified and commanding portrait of the Biden/Harris agenda for the Nov. 3 election.

As the Republican National Convention prepares to re-nominate President Donald J. Trump, the GOP promises a blend of live speeches, in-person videos and virtual content to steal the Democrats’ momentum.

On Thursday, Trump will deliver his acceptance speech from the White House lawn. And like everything else, he promises a show of all shows like “nobody has ever seen.”

GOP operatives will traipse through their Trumpian fantasy land. They will proclaim that while America is still great, when Trump is re-elected, it will be great again. Mask-less Trump delegates and sycophants will offer up platitudes and testimonials about the greatness of it all.

Dorothy, beware. As the GOP re-nominates its president, get ready to visit the Land of Oz.

Backstage, ready for his crowning nomination, awaits that Great and Powerful Oz, aka Donald J. Trump.

Trump’s Land of Oz is his fantasy, but it is a dangerous fantasy.

The reality show maven is plotting deceptive campaign strategies the likes of which nobody has ever seen.

Step behind the velvet curtain and watch as the Wizard weaves a campaign agenda plotted with denigration and oppression, all in the name of a second term.

This Wizard will conjure up far scarier specters than winged monkeys and fiery broomsticks. Trump’s diabolical machinations will make even the Wicked Witch swoon.

This Great Oz will stir a poisonous brew of piercing insults, dangerous myths, shameless lies, racist innuendo and sexist tropes, all aimed at crushing the Biden/Harris ticket.

Trump’s hand-picked postmaster general has pledged to deliver our mail-in ballots on time. Behind the curtain, the Wizard is making other plans. The Great and Powerful Oz is plotting ways to cripple the agency. He will continue to push unsubstantiated claims of massive voter fraud, to erode voter confidence in the electoral system and depress turnout.

He is brewing up a “law-and-order” agenda, and it’s a nasty potion. “They’ are coming for you,” he will warn those “suburban housewives.” Vote for Biden/Harris and watch their Black Lives Matter hoodlums burn your cul-de-sacs down.

Women of color, or “those people,” the Wizard will snarl, are crazies, criminals, even immoral.

Oz is not happy that Harris made history as America’s first black and Asian American vice presidential nominee. He will eagerly encourage salacious rumors and idiotic myths about Harris — and any other powerful woman who stands up to his misogyny.

COVID-19? What COVID-19? The “Chinese virus” is no big deal, according to Oz. “It’s Fake News!” he will roar.

It is a fiction promoted by those evil scientists who are hellbent on destroying the greatest economy ever, which, by the way, the Great and Powerful One, single-handedly created.

The Wizard will excoriate hard-working immigrants as murderous thugs and thieves and use that bigotry to justify caging their children in cages at America’s borders.

Dorothy, Trump’s dark re-election strategy is treacherous. These are treacherous times. Keep those ruby slippers handy.

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