Focus: Election; Scaring voters leaves them uninformed

The Indianapolis Star

As a nation we need to have a sober discussion — Gov. Mitch Daniels calls it an “adult conversation” — about the future of Medicare and Social Security.

In theory, this would be the perfect time for that conversation, since we’re two months out from presidential and congressional elections. It’s clearly not shaping up that way, however.

Both presidential campaigns, both major political parties and multiple candidates running for the U.S. House and Senate have pointed fingers at their opponents and shouted, in effect, “They want to cut Medicare!” The tactic is meant to scare voters, but it also tends to shut down substantive debate on the future of entitlement programs.

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