最低工资工人缴纳社会保障税的收入比例远高于亿万富翁。这是因为所有工人——包括百万富翁和亿万富翁——在收入超过首184,500美元后即停止缴纳社会保障税。埃隆·马斯克、杰夫·贝佐斯等亿万富翁主要靠未赚取的投资收入获利，这部分收入完全不需要缴纳社会保障税。
Minimum wage workers contribute a vastly higher percentage of their income to Social Security than billionaires. That’s because all workers, even millionaires and billionaires, stop paying into Social Security after their first $184,500 in earnings. Unearned investment income, which is how Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and other billionaires make most of their money, isn’t subject to Social Security taxes at all.
在2026年中期选举中，民主党以让超级富豪缴纳应有份额为承诺参选。从得克萨斯州到缅因州，从南卡罗来纳州到爱荷华州，乃至更广泛地区，民主党承诺“取消上限”，让富人缴纳与最低工资工人相同比例的社会保障税。选民以压倒性胜利回应，给了民主党兑现承诺的机会。
In the 2026 midterm elections, Democrats ran on a promise to make the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share. From Texas to Maine to South Carolina to Iowa and beyond, Democrats pledged to “scrap the cap” on Social Security contributions so that the wealthy pay the same rate as minimum wage workers. Voters responded by giving Democrats a resounding victory, and the opportunity to act on that promise.
这是一场关于负担能力的选举，而社会保障是关键的负担能力议题。它确保美国人在退休、残疾或失去家庭顶梁柱时拥有一定保障。福利虽不丰厚却至关重要，不仅关系领取者本人，也关系其家庭。超过600万儿童直接领取福利，或与领取福利者共同生活。
This was the affordability election, and Social Security is a key affordability issue. It ensures that Americans have a measure of protection when they retire, become disabled, or lose a family breadwinner. Benefits are modest but essential, not just to those who receive them but also to their families. Over six million children either receive benefits directly or live with someone who does.
社会保障面临资金缺口，若国会不采取行动，2032年福利将削减逾20%。民主党不应拖到最后一刻，而应明年通过立法，不仅填补缺口，还要全面并有针对性地扩大福利，给美国人关于其应得基本福利的安心。
Social Security faces a funding shortfall, which will result in an over 20 percent benefit cut in 2032 if Congress does not act. Rather than waiting until the last possible minute, Democrats should give the American people peace of mind about their essential earned benefits by passing legislation next year that not only eliminates the shortfall but expands benefits both across-the-board and in targeted ways.
幸运的是，民主党人已经起草了几项符合当前形势的法案，并在本届国会提出。其中一项《社会保障扩展法案》将使福利每月增加200美元，并确保所有福利能够全额、按时发放。该法案完全通过要求富人对其所有收入（包括非劳动所得的投资收入）缴纳费用来提供资金。
Fortunately, Democrats have already crafted several pieces of legislation that fit the moment and have been introduced in the current Congress. One of them, the Social Security Expansion Act, would increase benefits by $200 a month and ensure that all benefits can be paid in full and on time. It is fully funded by requiring the wealthy to pay in on all of their income, including unearned investment income.
《社会保障扩展法案》由参议员伯尼·桑德斯（无党籍-佛蒙特州）发起，他将在下届国会担任参议院财政委员会社会保障小组委员会主席。选举后，桑德斯写道，他打算将推动该法案成为法律作为首要任务。这是正确的做法。
The Social Security Expansion Act is sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who is going to chair the Senate Finance Committee’s Social Security Subcommittee in the next Congress. After the election, Sanders wrote that he intends to make passing it into law a top priority. That is the right thing to do.
对《社会保障扩展法案》进行表决，将使民主党人能够向选民表明，他们认真对待保护福利、让超级富豪支付应有份额的承诺。主流媒体将不再能不准确地声称“国会”在该问题上无所作为，从而掩盖两党之间的显著差异。对社会保障立法进行表决，还将迫使国会每一位成员亮明立场。
Holding a vote on the Social Security Expansion Act would allow Democrats to show their constituents that they are serious about protecting their benefits and making the uber-wealthy pay their fair share. The mainstream media would no longer be able to inaccurately state that “Congress” is doing nothing on the issue, disguising the striking difference between the two parties. Voting on Social Security legislation would also force every member of Congress on the record.
一项又一项民调发现，民主党、共和党和独立选民都希望通过让富人支付应有份额来保护和扩大社会保障。相比之下，共和党政客声称他们“热爱”社会保障，却主张削减福利，常使用模糊语言，例如辩称有必要“修复”社会保障。如果共和党人被迫投票，他们将发现自己夹在选民和亿万富翁捐赠者之间。
Poll after poll has found that Democratic, Republican and independent voters alike want to protect and expand Social Security by making the wealthy pay their fair share. In contrast, Republican politicians claim that they “love” Social Security, but advocate benefit cuts, often using oblique language, such as arguing for the need to “fix” Social Security. If Republicans are forced to vote, they will find themselves squeezed between their constituents and their billionaire donors.
无论结果如何，表决对民主党人都是双赢。它要么导致重要立法的颁布，要么暴露共和党政客站在亿万富翁一边的激进意图，并为民主党人在2028年竞选提供一个必胜议题。
Regardless of the outcome, a vote is a win for Democrats. It either results in the enactment of important legislation or makes the radical desire of Republican politicians to side with billionaires clear, and gives Democrats a winning issue to run on in 2028.
民主党人绝不能动摇。近几个月来，少数共和党人开始谈论取消社会保障缴费上限，因为他们意识到这一政策极受欢迎。这是个好消息。但如果达成的协议在修改上限的同时还削减福利，那绝不是美国选民投票想要的结果。
Democrats must not waver. In recent months, a handful of Republicans have begun talking about lifting the cap on Social Security contributions, realizing the policy’s overwhelming popularity. That’s good news. But a deal that modifies the cap, while also cutting benefits, is not what Americans voted for.
亿万富翁及其资助的利益集团正大力推动所谓的“平衡方案”，让大多数亿万富翁的收入继续免于缴纳社会保障费。这种方案或许包含一些收入，但也会带来灾难性的福利削减。民主党人必须抵制这种压力，站在绝大多数美国人一边——他们一分钱的社会保障削减都不想要。
Billionaires and the interest groups they fund are pushing hard for a so-called “balanced package” that keeps most billionaire earnings exempt from Social Security contributions. Such a package might include some revenue, but also catastrophic benefit cuts. It is essential that Democrats resist that pressure and side with the overwhelming majority of Americans who don’t want a single penny of cuts to Social Security.
福利水平已经太低。任何削减都会迫使数百万退休人员、寡妇、鳏夫、残疾人及其家庭陷入贫困。许多人将失去栖身之所和餐桌上的食物。相反，我们应该扩大社会保障，提高全国家庭的经济安全水平。
Benefits are already too low. Any cuts would force millions of retirees, widows, widowers, people with disabilities, and their families into poverty. Many would lose the roofs over their heads and the food on their tables. Instead, we should expand Social Security and improve the financial security of families across the country.
1932年，美国面临破坏性且不道德的收入与财富不平等，正如我们今天所面临的一样。选民以大萧条为契机，让富兰克林·罗斯福和民主党掌权。罗斯福及其民主党同僚随之创建了社会保障，这是美国历史上最成功、最受喜爱的社会项目。
In 1932, America faced destructive and immoral levels of income and wealth inequality, just as we do today. Voters responded to the Great Depression by sweeping Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Democratic Party into power. Roosevelt and his fellow Democrats responded by creating Social Security, the most successful and most beloved social program the country has ever seen.
正如大萧条时期一样，如今许多美国人再也负担不起生活基本必需品。他们再次选出民主党来解决这一危机。民主党应当通过扩大社会保障来回应，造福子孙后代。南希·奥特曼是“社会保障行动”组织的主席。
Just like during the Great Depression, many Americans are now unable to afford life’s basic necessities. Once again, they have elected Democrats to resolve that crisis. Democrats should respond by expanding Social Security for generations to come. Nancy Altman is president of Social Security Works.