The budget cost of Social Security pensions could be gradually reduced by substituting annuities generated by investment-based personal retirement accounts for part of the current tax-financed benefits. But even though such a reform could maintain income levels for retirees, Democrats oppose it, because it lowers traditional government benefits.
社会福利的预算成本可以通过用基于投资的个人退休金账户所产生的年金替代部分目前靠税收支付的福利项目来实现逐步削减。但即使这样的改革可以维持退休者的收入水平，民主党也会反对，因为这会让传统政府福利减少。于是，僵局会因此加深。