中新网评:美国众议长选举“连续剧”暴露美式民主痼疾******
中新网北京1月9日电(蒋鲤)在15轮投票表决后,美国众议院议长选举这场“连续剧”终于落下帷幕,众议院共和党领袖凯文•麦卡锡最终成功当选第55任美国众议院议长。这是美国国会过去164年来耗时最久的一次议长选举记录,将美国“对抗式民主”的弊端暴露无遗。
资料图:美国众议院共和党领袖麦卡锡。中新社记者 沙晗汀 摄由于两党对立加剧、党派内斗、利益分配不均等因素,众议长选举陷入一场拉锯战。在此次众议长竞选中,美国民主党议员继续抱团,多轮投票中,一票不投麦卡锡,共和党右翼“强硬派”领头的约20人小团体也拒绝投票麦卡锡。
麦卡锡的当选之路一波三折,除了本人的“政治投机派”角色在国会不受欢迎外,与共和党内部政治分歧关系密切。
一方面,共和党党内反对者认为,麦卡锡对民主党态度过于软弱,无力对抗民主党控制的参议院和拜登政府,另一方面,因为共和党的多数优势微弱,党内一些影响力较小的派系的政治力量则被放大,有利于他们巩固自己的选票。
此外,党内反对者也认为,自己的选票没有换取更多利益,希望以此作为筹码换取麦卡锡更大的让步,比如让他们获得众议院重要委员会中的职务。
作为仅次于美国总统、副总统的政坛三号人物,众议院议长通常由众议院多数党领袖担任,选举几乎没有悬念。然而,麦卡锡此次为当选,不得不做出多个关键让步,其中可能包括恢复一项罢黜议长动议机制,使得众议长的权力被削弱,难以掌控众议院。
美国有线电视新闻网CNN称,麦卡锡在这场不合时宜的政治勒索中作出让步,这种绥靖政策只会让极端主义势力更加强大。
这场引发全世界围观的尴尬选举暴露出美国政治存在严重的对立和分化。在权力博弈思维的裹挟下,党派利益凌驾于国家和人民利益之上,美国两党相互拆台,陷入“为反对而反对”的无脑对垒。而即便是一党内,也会因为利益分配问题产生不同的小派系,相互对抗,选票变成了谋利益的工具。
从国会山骚乱到打破记历史记录的15轮众议长选举,“对抗式民主”让美国政治陷入瓶颈,长期对抗势必会让政客们丧失客观公正的判断能力,其政治阶层是否有能力治理国家也会引发质疑。
两党之争和党派内斗进一步放大了美国政治体制弊病,美国所谓的“民主”形象,让全世界大跌眼镜。鼓吹以选民利益为先的美式选举,变成了政客们利益置换的游戏,进一步彰显出美国“民主政治”日渐失能,不断极化的党争已使美国政治制度陷入死循环。
House speaker election reveals deep-rooted problems in U.S. democracy
(ECNS) -- The Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was elected as the 55th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives after 15 ballots. As the most grueling House speaker election in the past 164 years, the election has highlighted the defects of the country’s "confrontational democracy".
The election once reached a stalemate due to intense partisan strife, inner-party struggle among the Republicans, uneven distribution of interests, and more. Democratic Party members forged a close alliance, refusing to vote for McCarthy, while about 20 Republicans also declined to cast ballots for the GOP leader.
Except for his unpopular role as a "political speculator" in Congress, McCarthy’s hard-won election can be attributed to turmoil within the Republican Party.
On the one hand, opponents in the Republican Party believe that the GOP leader's attitude toward the Democrats is too weak to confront the Senate controlled by Democrats and the Biden administration.
On the other hand, the political power of some less influential factions in the Republican Party has been amplified due to the Party’s weak majority advantage in the House of Representatives, which is conducive to consolidating their ticket warehouses.
Meanwhile, these opponents believe that their votes failed to win them more benefits, hoping to use this as a bargaining chip for McCarthy's further concessions, such as getting them positions in important House Committees.
As the third political figure after the President and Vice President of the U.S., the speaker, by tradition, is the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives.
But McCarthy has made many concessions in order to bring the ultra conservatives along, involving what’s known as the “motion to vacate,” a mechanism by which members can force a vote to depose the speaker. The reported concessions will empower individual members at the expense of McCarthy’s sway as speaker.
CNN thought the concessions he made during this unseemly political shakedown would only make the extremist faction more powerful.
This embarrassing election, which has drawn global attention, exposed the serious opposition and polarization in American politics. Both Democrats and Republicans put their interests before that of the country and its people, attacking and opposing each other irrationally.
Besides, different factions arise within a single party and confront each other because of the distribution of interests. Votes have become a tool to win more benefits.
From Capitol riots to the House Speaker election with record-breaking ballots, "confrontational democracy" has become a bottleneck of American politics. Long-term confrontation will surely impede politicians to think objectively and fairly while their capacity of governing the country will also raise doubts among the public.
Both parties’ struggle and infighting among the Republicans have further amplified the defects of the American political system, with its "democratic" image shocking the world.
The U.S.-style election, which advocates putting voters' interests first, has become a game of interest exchange among politicians. In addition, it further demonstrates the malfunction of American "democratic politics" and the constantly polarized party struggle that has trapped the American political system into an infinite cycle.
在种植大棚里许愿的农民:给好日子再添把火****** 图为内蒙古赤峰市林西县农民在大棚里干活(资料图)。 陈晓云 摄 (新春走基层)在种植大棚里许愿的农民:给好日子再添把火 中新网赤峰1月10日电 题:在种植大棚里许愿的农民:给好日子再添把火 作者 李爱平 陈晓云 王丽娜 “来年要承包一个大棚,给好日子再添把火。”60岁的郝树军将新年的愿望许给了他家乡的特产--食用菌。 郝树军是内蒙古自治区赤峰市林西县官地镇的农民,1月10日,在大棚里干活的他感叹,当地很多村民都通过食用菌种植过上了好日子。 资料显示,目前林西县官地镇已被官方打造成了食用菌产业园区,当地村民每年不仅在土地上能拿到租金,如果承包大棚还可以有另外的收入。 郝树军属于闲不下来的村民,他不甘心只拿土地上的租金,决定2023年承包一个食用菌大棚来提高自己的收入。 郝树军透露,当地农民以前不是背井离乡外出打工,就是在家种地靠天吃饭,自从有了食用菌产业园区,临近几个村的村民都来打工,年纪大的一天也能挣七八十元,大家别提多高兴了。 图为内蒙古赤峰市林西县农民在大棚里干活(资料图)。 陈晓云摄 而当地村民刘国荣将自己的新年愿望寄托在了蔬菜种植上。 在官地镇两棵树村的产业园区内,刘国荣这几天还在忙碌着,10日上午,他们一家正在大棚里忙着栽西红柿秧苗。 他抹了抹脸上的汗水说:“这些秧苗都是刚送来的,趁新鲜劲儿没过赶紧栽,栽完了就等着孩子们回家过年啦。” 刘国荣表示,作为返乡农民,这几年通过蔬菜种植,早已脱贫致富,住上了新房子,还买了一辆代步的汽车。2023年的目标就是一个棚纯收入达到3万元以上。 在大棚里许下新年愿望的还有当地村民刘福琴。 图为内蒙古赤峰市林西县农民在大棚里干活(资料图)。 陈晓云摄 这是一名依靠种植芦笋发家致富的农民,受访时表示,“一开始村里号召大家种芦笋的时候,都怕亏本,谁也不敢轻易尝试,后来村两委给我们算了一笔经济帐,大家就抱着试一试的心态开始参与。” “谁能想到当初不看好的反季芦笋不仅盘活了土地资源,还壮大了村集体经济,更成为了我们增收致富的好抓手。”刘福琴说,自己已种植芦笋3年,每年每个棚都能收入3万元左右,2023年的愿望是种植的芦笋能与北京、浙江等地区客户签收购协议。” 春节临近,年味渐浓,在种植大棚里许下新年愿望的这些村民,正在用勤劳的双手,书写着“农”墨重彩的幸福人生。(完) (文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |