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Medicare gets cold shoulder
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August 27, 1996: 9:29 p.m. ET
Both parties avoid discussing plans to slow spending for fear of backlash
From Correspondent Kelli Arena
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WASHINGTON (CNNfn) - Before the campaign season began, Medicare appeared destined to become a central issue.
Both candidates said the program needed to be reformed and proposed plans to slow spending. But with the elections nearing, Republicans and Democrats are avoiding the issue like a disease.
President Clinton is skirting Medicare by warning of GOP extremism, while Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole said Clinton's vetoes have killed deficit-reducing bills that would have made Medicare solvent.
Although Medicare is not at the forefront of debates, it is very much on the table.
Dole proposes scaling back Medicare spending by $168 billion over six years, compared to Clinton's $116 billion.
But as the debate rages over what to do to control Medicare -- and Medicaid, for that matter -- experts warn the program is in critical condition, and the longer it takes to fix, the worse the pain will be.
But that's not what wins votes.
"The American people who have it in their power to elect presidents have decided they don't want to hear anything about any cuts, any restrictions on growth, any changes in benefits in popular programs. And if you tell them those things, they're not going to hire you as president," said Carol Cox Wait of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
So at least until November, Medicare will be a taboo subject. 
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