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This is a far more important story than most would like you to believe. Because it defines the Republican Party of the last three decades, no one will have the courage to print it. If my blog had millions of readers, like the cowardly television networks and the largest online newspapers, this would be the front story for many newscasts tomorrow because it’s true. This is not only about 1988, it is about the alteration of history.

In 1988, Colorado Senator Gary Hart was the front runner for the presidential election. It was a consensus that he would defeat the Republican candidate, George H.W. Bush. The policies of Ronald Reagan in his second term were extremely unpopular with the working class.

Hart and his wife, Lee, experienced marital problems during the campaign. Although no legal filings had been recorded, they separated. During that time, Hart had an affair with Donna Rice. When the Washington Post revealed the facts of his extramarital affair, Hart eventually withdrew from his  campaign.

In 2016 hypocritical Republicans nominated an amoral man who had been divorced three times. He admitted that he was a sexual predator. Nearly two dozen women accused him of sexual assault. We later learned that Donald Trump paid “hush money” to two women with whom he had illicit affairs after the birth of his youngest son. And yet he received the votes of the Electoral College. Republican hypocrisy at its highest, or maybe lowest level.

This is important, but not nearly as important as the probabilities which would likely have occurred in America over the next 18+ years.

If Hart would have been held to the same standard as Trump in 2016, Senator Hart would have become the 41^st President of the United States. His platform and charisma would have guaranteed him two terms in office. If his policies were successful, another Democrat would likely have succeeded Senator Hart in 1996. There never would have been a “President George W. Bush.” The attacks on 9/11 would not have occurred. There would have been no invasion of Afghanistan or Iraq. More importantly, the illegitimate presidency of Donald John Trump would never have become the travesty it is today.

This small lesson in American history is extremely important. One small event can change a nation and make it better or worse. The future of our nation cannot become worse than it is today.

One last thought. Regardless of this lesson in America’s political history, if the Electoral College did not exist, a Democrat would be in the White House today, and would have been since 1993. The popular vote always favors the Democratic candidate.

“The Truth Lives Here”

Op-ed by James Turnage

Photo courtesy of Boston City Archives

My seventh novel, “DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR GOD AND COUNTRY,” is now available on Amazon’s free Kindle app; CLICK HERE