Presidency of George McGovern (McGovern '84)

The Presidency of George McGovern began around noon of January 20th, 1985 and ended around noon of January 20th, 1993. McGovern's Presidency saw a rebirth of the Liberal wing of the Democratic party which had significantly declined since the 1972 elections. The McGovern Presidency brought back New Deal liberalism and saw massive changes in both American Society and the American Government as a whole.

U.S.S.R + Russian Federation
McGovern opposed the U.S.S.R, but favored detente and cooperation with the U.S.S.R on several international issues, including nuclear disarmament and bringing about the end of the Cold War. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, it was clear to McGovern and many across the world that the U.S.S.R was beginning to collapse. On December 26th, 1991; the USSR collapsed and McGovern instantly recognized the newly formed Russian Federation. McGovern congratulated Yeltsin and the Russian people on "resisting tyranny and embracing Democracy". McGovern provided a lot of foreign aid to the new Russian Federation which faced internal instability and ethnic tensions.

People's Republic of China
Following his predecessors, McGovern would continue the normalization of relations with the People's Republic of China, but limited trade with the People's Republic of China, fearing it would result in job-outsourcing to China. The McGovern administration would also work with China on solving issues in Southeast Asia such as territorial disputes with Japan.

Reduction of Military Spending
Following the end of the Cold War, McGovern would work with Congressional democrats to negotiate cutting defense spending. In 1992, defense spending was cut by 25% with that money being reshuffled into domestic policies.

1986 Medicaid Expansion Act - "McGovernCare"
On May 17th, 1986; with fierce opposition from Congressional Republicans; the Senate narrowly voted in favor of passing the 1986 Medicaid Expansion Act, which was the single largest U.S. health care overhaul since the initial passing of medicare and medicaid in 1965. The Expansion Act's major provisions came into force in 1987. By 1990, the uninsured share of the population had roughly halved, with estimates ranging from 18 to 24 million additional people covered. While his Republican president processors would cut funding to the provisions established by the expansion act, efforts to repeal the act have remained unsuccessful, with the Expansion Act remaining in law to this day.

The Equal Rights Amendment
As President, McGovern would champion the Equal Rights Amendment and would call for its ratification. Despite his vocal support for it, the Equal Rights Amendment would not be ratified and remains un-ratified to this day.