An Open Letter to George W. and Al.

Dear Presidential Candidates:

Congratulations! It is now clear that one of you will be leading this country for the next four, and possibly eight, years. We're sure that you have many issues on your minds, but there's one we haven't heard you talk about much yet, and that's strange. It might be one of the top two or three issues you will face as President; it might even be the defining issue of your presidency.

We're talking, of course, about the aging of America. We are just entering a crucial period--one that nearly coincides, as it happens, with an eight-year term in office. In thinking about this, it might help if you start by looking in the mirror. You are looking at one of America's older Baby Boomers (you don't mind that "older," do you?). You might have heard that three years after your (we assume) eight-year presidency, the first members of your generation will be hitting age 65. Most will probably still be in pretty good health, but--though it might be hard for a couple of dedicated joggers like yourselves to imagine--the vicissitudes of aging spare no one. Thoughts start turning to how one will spend the final years of one's life--a new place to live, perhaps, one that is smaller, maybe nicer and certainly hassle-free; a place where, at last, one can ease into the disabilities of old age with minimal inconvenience.

Maybe the situation isn't so hard for you to imagine after all. Many men and women your age are confronting it already, on behalf of their 70ish and 80ish parents. Acting as dutiful sons and daughters, they're starting to make agonizing decisions about home care, retirement housing, assisted living and (God forbid!) nursing home care. They're starting to learn that personal finances play a big role--bigger, perhaps, than they ever imagined. Higher costs to support Mom and Dad, just at a time when Sis and Junior are entering college.

Maybe you're starting to hear questions on the campaign trail: "Where's the help with this?" "Where's the system to support it?" (Or, more likely, "What happened to Medicare?")

The problem is, neither they nor we are hearing any answers, or even acknowledgment, from our political leaders. Mr. Gore, you do talk about a $3,000 caregiver tax credit, which would help, and some modest Clinton administration efforts to support home- and community-based care--a small start, anyway. And Mr. Bush, your party seems to be at last finding its way to supporting private long-term care insurance with tax deductibility. So no one can say that either of you is totally in the dark. It's just that no one is stepping up and proposing what this country can do to help all Americans, regardless of their income or tax status--the kind of thinking the "Greatest Generation" used to indulge in 20 or 30 years ago, if you recall.

We know there are plenty of political pitfalls. No one wants to talk about taxes. Not many feel comfortable about threatening to confiscate people's estates to pay for long-term care. And most assuredly, no one wants to hear about national healthcare systems. But if someone at your level doesn't attempt to set a direction, and soon, we're all in trouble.

We avidly await your response.

Richard L. Peck

Editor

Mark Goodman 

Publisher