Campaign spin and negative ads will no doubt be part of this year’s presidential election. But there also can be education, at least on the issue of Medicare, now that U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan has been tapped as Mitt Romney’s running mate.

Democratic strategists have in the past used so-called Mediscare campaigns to demonize Republican proposals to reform Medicare. One such television ad featured an image of an older woman in a wheel chair being pushed over a cliff, implying that is what would happen if Ryan’s proposals to reform Medicare are enacted.

With the selection of Ryan, who is well-versed in budget issues, especially on the threats posed by runaway entitlement spending and Medicare in particular, both campaigns could face pressure to explain and defend their proposals for Medicare.

Ryan is capable of describing his proposals and defending them. He’s not afraid to engage opponents, and that’s what voters should expect from any candidate.

Engaging in a serious debate over reforming Medicare, as well as other entitlements, would elevate this campaign above most others. Experts agree that doing nothing to reform Medicare is not an option.

Ryan’s Medicare plan, included as part of his Republican-supported budget proposal, would introduce changes slowly so that anybody nearing or in retirement today would see no difference. Yet Democrats blast Ryan’s plan, saying it would “end Medicare as we know it.”

Romney and other Republicans criticize the health care reform law, commonly referred to as Obamacare, for redirecting $700 billion in future Medicare payments to help pay for the health care reform law.

Obamacare supporters reply that the plan does not cut Medicare; it only slows the rate of growth of payments.

This is an age-old issue in Washington — what is a cut and what is slowing the growth of spending.

In years past, Democrats criticized Republicans for “cutting” or “gutting” various government programs when the truth was that the Republican plan would only slow the growth rate of spending, not actually reduce spending from one year to the next.

Voters need to understand this and also that actual reductions in government spending are rare.

While Ryan’s proposal to reform Medicare appears to be an easy target for Democrats, it also highlights the fact that Obama and Democrats have not offered an alternative plan, at least with a comparable level of detail.

When critics of Ryan’s plan allege that his proposal would “end Medicare as we know it,” they neglect to point out that most nonpartisan experts say that Medicare “as we know it” must change for the program to survive.

The presidential campaign should feature debates on a variety of topics including the economy, tax reform, job creation, deficit spending, regulations, military spending, education and entitlement reform.

Mud-slinging and distortions will no doubt be part of this campaign, like all campaigns. But with Ryan’s involvement, voters have more hope than usual that they will see some honest debate about Medicare and entitlement reform.

Democrats might criticize his proposals, but they should be expected to offer their own reform plans, including details.

That’s not easy, because there are no easy answers or simple solutions. One interest group or another will find something they don’t like about any reform idea. But the candidates in a presidential election have an obligation to offer their own ideas, not just criticize the other guys’ plan.