George McGovern for President 1972 Campaign Brochures

‘What President George McGovern would do’

About VIETNAM

Four years ago Candidate Nixon announced he had a “secret plan” to end the war in Vietnam.

But as President he has dragged the war on for four painful years. Around 20,000 more Americans have died -- one third of our total Vietnam combat deaths. Millions more civilians in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos have been killed, maimed, and made homeless, the majority by American bombing. An estimated 10% to 15% of our Vietnam G..I.’s became addicted to heroin while serving there.

This year, while withdrawing ground troops from Vietnam, Nixon has increased nearby Navy and Air Force personnel. Around 140,000 Americans are still fighting in the Indochina war. It is still costing us at least $7 billion a year. And our P.O.W.’s in North Vietnam prisons are doomed to stay there until we agree to total withdrawal.

Senator McGovern has opposed our military intervention in Vietnam since 1963. He has pledged he will withdraw all our military forces and aid and bring home all our P.O.W.’s in his first 90 days as President.

About LABOR

President Nixon is no friend of labor. He has vetoed 13 bills that would have aided the working man. All were supported by George McGovern.

Senator McGovern has been a strong, persistent supporter of organized labor and the working man. Since entering Congress, his pro-labor voting record has earned him a 93.4% rating from COPE. In 7 of his 10 years in the Senate, he has had a perfect rating. The U.A.W. has given the Senator a cumulative rating of 96.5%.

As President, he would firmly support the right to strike and to collective bargaining. The Senator also feels much stronger workmen’s safety legislation is needed and advocates an 8-point program to “guarantee the American worker’s right to health and safety on the job.”

About MILITARY SPENDING

Despite Nixon’s widely advertised troop withdrawals in Vietnam -- and despite his nuclear arms agreements with the Russians at the SALT talks -- he has still asked Congress; for the largest defense budget since WORLD WAR II.

Says George McGovern: “We have constructed a vast military colossus based on the paychecks of the American worker. That military monster is devouring two out of three of our tax dollars. It costs the average taxpayer over $100 a month. It inflates our economy, picks our pockets, and starves other areas of our national life.”

Senator McGovern has started from scratch and constructed a sane, sound defense budget which would keep us strong yet would cut out $30 billion a year in fat by 1975. It would leave us with the nuclear capability to destroy every Russian and Chinese target 20 times over and 3 separate, independent delivery systems. And through Senator McGovern’s Economic Conversion plan, which he has been advocating since 1963 -- not one job would be lost.

About TAX REFORM

Under our present tax system, wealthy individuals and large corporations often pay little or no tax due to tax loopholes. This forces the average wage earner to pay more than his fair share in taxes. In 1970, 112 persons with incomes over $200,000 paid no income tax.

Senator McGovern’s program would yield $22 billion in additional tax revenue by plugging up unfair loopholes of the wealthy instead of imposing the value-added tax (a disguised sales tax) favored by President Nixon. NO AMERICAN WHOSE INCOME COMES FROM WAGES AND SALARIES WOULD PAY MORE IN TAXES.

This program would make it possible to channel $15 billion in Federal aid to hard-pressed local school systems. It would enable then to provide quality education and cut school taxes by as much as ½.

About JOBS

The month Richard Nixon took office, the unemployment rate was the lowest it had been in 20 years -- 3.3%.

By May, 1971, the rate had risen to 6.2%. Today it stands at 5.5% or 67% higher than when Nixon took office.

Senator McGovern has pledged an Administration that would seek to build a full-employment economy which would provide jobs for every able-bodied American who can work.

By saving $52 billion through plugging tax loopholes and cutting wasteful military spending, and rechanneling this money into education, health care, housing, and other things our nation needs, he would create thousands of new jobs.

And to insure that no one need go jobless, he would recommend the creation of public service jobs for as many million heads of households who cannot otherwise earn enough to keep their families off welfare.

During the Nixon recession, the number of people on welfare soared to 14 million. Senator McGovern will reduce the welfare rolls by a job program and an expanded Social Security System.

About HEALTH CARE

Medical care costs have increased at an average annual rate of 6.6% in the last 5 years, faster than all other consumer goods and services. Lower-income families are especially hard hit. They are often not able to afford or get adequate medical care, or are poorly treated at impoverished city, county, or state hospitals. There is a serious shortage of doctors.

Nixon has vetoed hospital building appropriations, cut back medical research funds, held back Regional Medical Program funds.

Senator McGovern believes that “the American people have the right to the most basic human rights -- decent health care.” He is co-sponsor of the Health Security Plan introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy. It would provide more doctors and skilled medical technicians at a cost every American could afford.

About SENIOR CITIZENS

The Nixon Administration’s Economic policies; have had a disastrous effect on the elderly in this country. Today, one out of every four persons age 65 and older -- More than 4.7 million people -- live in poverty. Fully 50% of elderly women without families have incomes below the poverty level.

President Nixon has repeatedly opposed Congressional increases in Social Security benefits and other benefits for Senior Citizens.

Senator McGovern would expand the Social Security System to include 3 million aged, blind, and disabled who presently don’t qualify and increase the minimum Social Security benefit to $1.50 per month.

Says Senator McGovern: “The test of any society is the way in which it treats its older members. We have the resources to pass this test -- if we will set our minds to the task.”

About AGRICULTURE

Senator McGovern has pledged to appoint a farmer as his Secretary of Agriculture --  not an apologist for giant Agri-business corporations. He will use his authority to raise price supports to 90% of parity as provided by law, and develop a program to insure 90% of parity.

Compare President Nixon’s inaction with Senator McGovern’s record of support of farm and rural development programs -- as sponsor of the Wheat Certificate Act of 1965, Coalition Farm Bill of 1969, Farm Parity Resolution of 1966, meat and dairy import legislation in 1967, the Rural Telephone Bill of 1969, Farm Credit Act of 1971 and The Rural Job Development Act of 1969.

Senator McGovern’s efforts to increase funds for rural electrification and farmer’s home loans are in sharp contrast with President Nixon’s freezing of appropriations for these critical programs.

About INFLATION

Prices have gone up over 15% during the Nixon Administration -- 50% faster than during the previous Democratic Administration. Nixonomics has added a total of $450 to the average family’s annual grocery bill. And Nixon’s wage-price controls were too hasty and too late -- they froze wages but let prices and profits run wild.

Senator McGovern believes we will never bring runaway prices under control until we get to their source -- the inflationary billions squandered on the endless, pointless Vietnam War and the piled-on surplus nuclear overkill power.

About PEOPLE’S RIGHTS

Senator McGovern believes the most urgent moral priority in America today is to end racism in all its ugly forms. And, just as important, is our special obligation to right the wrongs against the first residents of this land -- the American Indian. We need a fresh new commitment to replace paternalism and neglect with economic and educational opportunities for the Indians. Beyond this, the day is long overdue to assure women equal rights, and to end all forms of sex discrimination. And, there is no right stronger than equal educational opportunities for all children.

‘Senator George McGovern’

Born in Avon, South Dakota, in 1922, he studied at Dakota Wesleyan University and Northwestern University, where he received a Ph.D. in history.

Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in World War II, Senator McGovern flew 35 combat missions as a pilot operating against the Nazi war machine.

Elected to the House of Representatives in 1956 and 1958, he was the first Democrat sent to Washington from South Dakota since the 1930’s.

In 1960, he became a special assistant to President John Kennedy, and was the first director of the Food for Peace Program.

Senator McGovern was elected to the Senate in 1962, and was re-elected in 1968.

As a member of the Agriculture and Interior Committees, he holds important subcommittee chairmanships. His most recent book, the fourth he has written is entitled A Time of War! A Time of Peace. Senator McGovern and his wife Eleanor have five children.