BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Sweet Chen Caixia) On September 30, local time, at the last minute of the end of the US federal government’s fiscal year, the two houses of Congress finally passed a short-term expenditure bill to provide funds for the US government until November 17, thus avoiding the government’s "closure".

　　The original intention of the US Congress in charge of the "money bag" was to limit the arbitrary spending of government departments, but now it has become a "bargaining chip" for the two parties to seize political interests.

　　The United States is moving towards a "dangerous situation". It seems that behind one crisis, another crisis is approaching.

　　"Man-made crisis"

　　The U.S. government avoids lockout

　　On the evening of September 30, local time, the House of Representatives and the Senate of the US Congress successively voted to pass a short-term expenditure bill and sent it to President Biden for signature, thus preventing the government from "closing the door".

　　The short-term spending bill provides the federal government with 45 days of short-term spending. At the last minute, the bill added the natural disaster relief funds requested by the White House, but did not include additional assistance to Ukraine and strengthening border security.

　　In response, Biden said in a statement, "Tonight, the bipartisan majority in the House and Senate voted to keep the government running, avoiding an unnecessary crisis and bringing unnecessary pain to millions of hard-working Americans."

　　But he also criticized that this was a "man-made crisis" that could have been avoided a few months ago.

　　Generally speaking, the federal government of the United States operates normally, and the required funds are authorized by the appropriation bill every fiscal year. If Congress fails to pass the bill, government spending will be blocked and some functions will have to stop. The chain reaction of the government’s "closing the door" also endangers all walks of life: more than 4 million American soldiers and government workers will not be paid, and two-thirds of the employees of the tax bureau may be forced to take vacations.

　　The two parties are constantly fighting.

　　The "closed door" crisis will be staged again in November.

　　Recently, the two parties in the United States have been fighting over the appropriation case for the new fiscal year and have been deadlocked several times, which has triggered a "closed door" crisis. Specific differences include the size of the budget for the next 12 months, continued assistance to Ukraine, and immigration control on the US-Mexico border.

　　What is even more difficult is that not only are there serious differences between the Democratic and Republican parties, but cooperation is difficult, and the Republican Party is also in a mess.

　　Hard-line conservatives in the Republican Party demand that the government’s disposable expenditure ceiling in fiscal year 2024 be reduced by another $120 billion on the basis of the $1.59 trillion negotiated between Speaker McCarthy and President Biden. On September 29th, the House of Representatives controlled by the Republican Party even defeated McCarthy’s provisional appropriation bill, which made the government "close the door" again and again.

　　Now, although the latest short-term spending bill promoted by McCarthy was approved in Congress, the Associated Press believes that the "closed door" crisis has only been "temporarily" alleviated.

　　According to the report, in order to get the short-term spending bill approved, Republican McCarthy was forced to rely on the Democratic Party and abandoned the hard-line conservatives of the Republican Party. This means that he is likely to face a motion to try to remove the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

　　The National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) also commented that the US Congress must resolve its differences before November 17, but it is not clear whether they will do so. We are likely to get into the present situation again in November.

　　Political calculations are full,

　　The United States is heading for a "dangerous situation"

　　This is not the first time that the US government has faced a "closed door" crisis. Since 1976, there have been 21 cases in which the U.S. government closed down due to the shortage of funds, including 10 cases in which government employees were forced to take unpaid leave after 1980.

　　The longest one happened in 2018-2019, when President Trump and Congressional Democrats were deadlocked on the issue of building the border wall, which led to the failure of the government budget. At that time, some governments stopped working for 35 days, running through the whole holiday season.

　　Schumer, the majority leader of the Senate and a Democrat, pointed out in September that if the government "closes the door", it would be the fault of the Republican "political game" in the House of Representatives.

　　He said, "The only way to pass the budget is bipartisan cooperation & HELIP; … A single political party cannot complete this work, especially if it is controlled by an extremist group of 30 to 40 people. "

　　Republicans in the House of Representatives targeted the attack on the high debt of the United States and blamed it on Democrats. Senator John Kennedy, Republican of Louisiana, said, "Democrats know that spending and debt accumulation are out of control, but they still refuse to consider Republican suggestions."

　　Reuters commented that the differences between the Senate and the House of Representatives are hard to close, and this "partisan deadlock mode" has repeatedly pushed the United States into a dangerous situation, which is constantly damaging the credibility of the United States.

　　Bloomberg economists believe that once the government stops for a long time, the Republican Party will be accused, which is beneficial to Biden’s re-election. However, if the Democratic Party agrees to the demand of Republican hardliners to cut federal spending sharply, it will have an impact on the economy in 2024, and the ruling Democratic Party will become the object of blame by voters.

　　US Treasury Secretary warns!

　　Another crisis is approaching.

　　In fact, the financial problems of the US federal government go far beyond this. In recent years, the "snowball" of American debt has been getting bigger and bigger. According to the The New York Times website on September 18th, the total national debt of the United States exceeded $33 trillion for the first time that day, once again ushered in a "dangerous milestone".

　　On September 29th, US Treasury Secretary Yellen warned that the government’s "closing the door" would lead to the idleness of many enterprises and children’s projects, thus "damaging" the economic operation of the United States and possibly delaying the promotion of major infrastructure. Unless Congress raises the debt ceiling, it is very likely that there will be a "historic financial crisis" and an "economic disaster" in the United States.

　　Moody’s Investors Service, an international rating agency, also warned on September 25 that the "shutdown" of the US federal government would have a negative impact on the US credit rating. Previously, Fitch Ratings, an international rating agency, downgraded the default rating of long-term foreign currency issuers in the United States from AAA to AA+.

　　Larry Fink, president of BlackRock, a world-renowned fund management company, lambasted American politicians for letting the government shut down, which was "absurd" and "irrational" and undermined the position of the United States in the eyes of investors.

　　According to the weekly New Republic, American politicians regard the debt ceiling as a political stick and the global economy as collateral. This "stupid game" may disrupt the global economy.

In today’s society, it is very important to understand the calculation method of three insurances and one gold and its related regulations for personal financial planning.

First of all, let’s understand that "three insurances and one fund" usually include endowment insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance and housing accumulation fund.

The calculation of endowment insurance is usually based on the individual’s salary base and contribution ratio. Taking an area as an example, assuming that the salary base of an individual is 5,000 yuan and the contribution ratio is 8%, then the monthly pension insurance fee that an individual needs to pay is 5,000× 8% = 400 yuan.

The payment calculation of medical insurance is similar, and the general individual contribution ratio is 2%. If the salary base is still 5,000 yuan, the individual’s monthly medical insurance payment is 5,000× 2% = 100 yuan.

The contribution rate of unemployment insurance is relatively low, usually around 0.5%. According to the salary base of 5,000 yuan, the individual’s monthly unemployment insurance contribution is about 5,000× 0.5% = 25 yuan.

The contribution ratio of housing provident fund is between 5% and 12%. Assuming that the contribution ratio is 10% and the salary base is 5,000 yuan, the individual’s monthly contribution to housing provident fund is 5,000× 10% = 500 yuan.

The following is a simple table to summarize the above calculations:

These regulations have a direct impact on personal income. First of all, the three insurances and one gold paid by individuals will be directly deducted from the salary, resulting in a decrease in the actual salary. But in the long run, this part of the payment provides an important guarantee for the individual’s future.

The payment of endowment insurance ensures a stable pension income after retirement and guarantees the quality of life in old age. Medical insurance can reduce the burden of personal medical expenses when you are sick. Unemployment insurance can provide financial support for a certain period of time when unemployed. Housing provident fund helps individuals to enjoy lower loan interest rates or withdraw housing-related expenses when buying a house.

However, for some people with lower income, the higher proportion of three insurances and one gold payment may cause some pressure on the current life. However, from the perspective of overall social welfare and personal long-term interests, the system design of "three insurances and one fund" is to realize social equity and protect the basic rights and interests of individuals.

In short, a deep understanding of the calculation and regulations of three insurances and one fund will help individuals to plan their finances better and fully enjoy the benefits brought by social security.

[Disclaimer] This article only represents the author’s own views and has nothing to do with Hexun. Hexun.com is neutral about the statements and opinions in this article, and does not provide any express or implied guarantee for the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the contents. Readers are requested for reference only, and please take full responsibility. Email: news_center@staff.hexun.com.

　　CCTV News:The reporter learned from China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission that in order to support flood fighting and disaster relief and the recovery of production and life, financial institutions have taken various measures to speed up the work of capital investment and insurance compensation.

　　It is understood that the banking and insurance regulatory bureaus in Chongqing, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong and other provinces and cities have launched emergency plans for major disasters and carried out 24-hour rotation of sudden risk events. Banks in Hunan have set up 61 mobile financial service stations to give priority to meeting the urgent needs of the affected people such as withdrawal and transfer. Jiangsu Banking Insurance Regulatory Bureau requires banks not to simply lend money to credit customers affected by the disaster, but to take the initiative to reduce interest and reduce fees. Banking insurance regulatory bureaus in Zhejiang and Jiangxi require insurance companies to set up a special green channel for claims, simplify claims procedures and procedures, and make sure that all claims are made.

　　Banks have also accelerated the release of funds related to flood control and disaster relief. The China Development Bank has accurately met the capital needs of local governments, and has completed 2.89 billion yuan of credit for flood control emergency loans and issued 2.18 billion yuan. Since June, the Agricultural Bank of China has provided 4.6 billion yuan in water conservancy loans to Chongqing, Jiangxi, Anhui and Zhejiang, which has more than doubled compared with the same period last year.

　　March 29th is the first day when the Civil Aviation Administration of China requested to implement the policy of "one airline, one country, one route" to cut international flights. This week (March 29th to April 4th), the number of international flights in China will be reduced to 108, with a decrease of 85.3%, only equivalent to 1.2% before the outbreak.

　　With the sharp reduction of return flights, return air tickets continue to climb without accident. In various WeChat groups, the prices of return air tickets in Europe and America are 100,000 in economy class and 200,000 in business class.

　　However, if you check the airline app or ota platform yourself, it is difficult to find any recent tickets, especially if you want to buy a direct flight ticket to return home in recent days.

　　On March 28th, China Eastern Airlines directly announced the news in its official Weibo. During the period from March 29th to May 2nd, China Eastern Airlines’ flights from new york, Toronto, Sydney, Auckland, Seoul and Manila to Shanghai Pudong were all sold out.

　　On the one hand, airlines say that the tickets have been sold out, but on the other hand, there are still people selling more than 100 thousand high-priced return tickets in the circle of friends in the next few days. Who is behind this?

　　Who is raising the price?

　　Like domestic air tickets, the pricing of international air tickets has strict rules.

　　According to the Notice on the Provisions on the Administration of International Air Freight Rates issued by the Civil Aviation Administration (hereinafter referred to as the Notice), in order to establish, adjust and modify international air freight rates, after the Chinese (or foreign) airlines and the foreign (or Chinese) airlines agree, it is necessary to declare the freight rates to be implemented to the Civil Aviation Administration.

　　Therefore, like domestic air tickets, international air tickets are limited by the amount of full-price economy class and full-price business class. However, when the supply and demand are not so tight at ordinary times, airlines will publish the price of discounted cabin on the basis of full-price tickets.

　　When the demand for air tickets on a certain route exceeds the supply, the fare will naturally rise, but it cannot be higher than the full-price ticket of this route. The notice of the Civil Aviation Administration requires that airlines should adjust the international air freight rate, and the Civil Aviation Administration will decide whether to approve it according to the relevant national policies, the international air freight rate at that time, the market situation and the changes in the currency exchange rate.

　　According to the reporter’s understanding, in recent days, with the surge in demand for returning to China on international routes, the three major airlines that are basically empty have indeed applied for raising the full-price tickets of relevant international routes one after another.

　　For example, on Air China’s flight from London Heathrow to Shanghai Pudong, the full price of economy class ticket was 16,710 yuan before March 20, and it was raised to 29,860 yuan after March 20, and the full price of business class ticket was also raised from 34,170 yuan to 41,690 yuan.

　　For the flight of China Eastern Airlines from London Heathrow to Shanghai Pudong, the full price of economy class ticket was 25,980 yuan before March 20th, and it was raised to 26,460 yuan after March 20th, and the full price of business class ticket was also raised from 35,420 yuan to 42,880 yuan.

　　However, at present, most passengers can’t buy tickets for returning from London through the above prices. In recent days, they can also buy direct flights from London. It is lucky that the economy class does not exceed 100,000, and the business class exceeds 160,000, which is comparable to the single seat freight rate for returning from business jets.

　　Many insiders revealed to reporters that from the full price of more than 20,000 economy class to the actual transaction price of 100,000 yuan, there have actually been many changes of hands behind the price increase, and even the price increase parties are not necessarily ticket agents with formal licenses, but scalpers with customer resources.

　　Some people purchase, some people distribute, and increase the price layer by layer. The return ticket is pushed higher and higher in this interest chain.

　　However, according to the notice requirements of the Civil Aviation Administration, it is absolutely illegal to continue to increase the fare on the basis of full-price tickets in economy class or business class: "Chinese and foreign airlines should ensure that their own companies (or their offices) and their sales agents implement the approved international air freight rates, and may not reduce or add additional fees in any name (except airport fees or taxes and insurance fees collected according to relevant regulations), and the collection fees shall be indicated in the corresponding columns of the tickets."

　　Who is occupying a seat?

　　In addition to the distributors who increase prices at different levels, there are also many ways for buyers who can get first-hand seat resources.

　　In normal times, air ticket agent is an important channel for airlines to sell air tickets. By purchasing the configuration from China Airlines, they can see the remaining space, fare and other information of an airline route in the background. By inputting the passenger’s ID card or passport information, they can book an air ticket and then issue the ticket within 24 hours.

　　What is said here is the operation of a regular air ticket agent. 24 hours is not a fixed time limit for issuing tickets, and each airline will have differences, and it is 24 hours in the peak season, and the time limit may be relaxed for a longer period in the off-season.

　　However, this time difference between booking and ticketing gives many unscrupulous agents (even scalpers who have rented the agent configuration) the opportunity to "exploit loopholes": select the flight with few seats left, book the ticket of this flight with any passport information, and then cancel the virtual reservation until a real customer comes to buy the ticket, and at the same time buy it with the passport information of the real customer, and then sell it at a higher price than the background fare of the airline company.

　　With the increasing scarcity of return air tickets in Europe and America, the operation of "virtual seat occupation" is becoming more and more "rampant". Even a large-scale airline ticket agency mobilized employees to collectively "occupy seats" and collected a large number of remaining seats on different European and American routes.

　　The airline company is not ignorant of such a "loophole" way. A few days ago, China Southern issued a penalty notice for illegal agents, saying that agents illegally occupied a large number of seats on flights, blocked the configuration of airmail for 93 agents who violated the rules recently or stopped selling China Southern’s authorization.

　　More airlines began to narrow the time difference between booking and ticketing, some required that tickets must be issued within three hours, and some even shortened the time difference to 20 minutes. However, this requirement gave birth to a new way of purchasing tickets.

　　Agents (or scalpers) began to collect customers’ specific needs for returning to China in advance, including departure place, destination, intended departure time, acceptable upper limit of air ticket price, etc., and required customers to pay a deposit ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 (if they can’t get a refund, they won’t get a refund if they buy it), saying that once there are tickets that meet the needs, they will not be notified to issue tickets immediately.

　　A number of airline ticket agents who have worked in the industry for many years revealed to reporters that with the airline company’s stricter control over "false occupancy", it is not easy to grab seats now, either by using the time when everyone slept after the early hours of the morning to brush in the background to see if anyone has refunded tickets, or by colluding with the relevant personnel of the airline company to leave the remaining seats to the designated sellers.

　　Who should be punished?

　　In the face of increasing illegal fare increase and seat occupation, airlines have also begun to increase their intervention.

　　A few days ago, China Eastern Airlines issued a notice, requiring agents to follow the price and conditions of use of company tickets, and it is strictly forbidden to increase sales, otherwise they will be punished for violating agency behavior. However, similar situations are still repeated.

　　Air China, on the other hand, made up its mind to suspend the release of all its international/regional flight information in all booking systems around the world and ota flagship stores in China, requiring passengers to purchase tickets through direct sales channels.

　　Subsequently, Xiamen Airlines also issued a similar notice, which cut off the sales source of unscrupulous agents from the source, but it also affected the normal sales of regular agents with long-term fixed customers.

　　"The full price increase of air tickets should be reported to the Civil Aviation Administration. If the sales price exceeds the upper limit, it will violate the civil aviation regulations. If it does not exceed the upper limit, it will also violate the sales policy of the airline company." Lin Zhijie, an insider in the civil aviation industry, pointed out to reporters that passengers who bought high-priced return tickets can complain to the relevant departments or airlines about the difference if they keep the ticket number and payment records. By comparing the ticket price corresponding to the ticket number with the actual payment price, they can know how much the ticket they bought was added and by whom.