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.
“五个一百”:最动人的是真实的力量******
【光明网评】“五个一百”:最动人的是真实的力量
寒辞去冬雪,暖带迎春风。兔年春节踏步而来,以“团结奋进新征程 同心奋斗创伟业”为主题的2022中国正能量“五个一百”网络精品征集评选展播活动也正如火如荼地进行着。文字、图片、音视频、专题专栏、主题活动……一部部内容丰富、形式多样的优秀作品聚焦动人瞬间,传递温暖讯息,正在网络空间中掀起澎湃的浪潮。
真实的力量最能打动人心。在过去的一段时间中,疫情形势复杂多变,俄乌关系持续紧张,世界正经历着宏阔的风云变化,中国却始终保持着发展的定力稳步前行。像之前举办过的每一届一样,今年“五个一百”依然忠实地履行它记录者的职责,重点围绕迎接宣传贯彻党的二十大、北京冬奥会、北京冬残奥会、疫情防控等重大主题,把握时代脉动,反映人民风貌。
作为个体的人,既是时代的见证者,也是时代的参与者。人们为祖国的发展成就欢欣鼓舞,也在困境中守望相助、和衷共济。因而,每一位网友都会对这些变革与发展的重要节点有真实而深刻的感慨。而另一边,这些看似宏大的议题,也因为“五个一百”重新进入人们的视野,让读者与观众重温当时的感动,再一次为之精神振奋。
有对时代的慷慨书写,亦有小处细节的着笔。“五个一百”同样征集这样一批作品,它们将视野沉淀下来,记录普通个体带给人的触动。事实上,与现实生活距离越近,勇气的重量、坚持的价值、善行的可贵就越能够凸显。这些来自平凡生活的选题,以更大的感染力吸引人们躬身力行、向上向善。而有了“五个一百”影响力的加持,微小的感动也可以扩大影响范围,进而在社会上形成“心往一处想、劲儿往一处使”的强大凝聚力。
互联网的存在,让正能量有了多种表达,无论是传统的文字、图片稿件,还是想要创新传播方式的作者,都有机会站上这个让他们大显身手的平台。今年,为顺应网络传播新形势新变化,“五个一百”又通过优化评选分类、调整报送方式、强化国际传播、突出权威优质等方式进行了全新升级,作品不仅质量优中选优,也更具影响力、更能直抵人心,在喧哗嘈杂的网络空间中成众人目光聚焦之处。归根到底,这些作品的共同特点和力量所在,正是其真实的底色。而具体的人,无论是作品中的英雄人物,还是为之感动、备受鼓舞的旁观者,又共同描摹了可爱、可敬的中国形象。
时光居诸而不息,前路征途亦漫漫。今年是全面贯彻落实党的二十大精神的开局之年,就更要踔厉奋发,继续挖掘值得记录的故事,激扬精神的力量,也让网络空间真正成为亿万民众的精神家园。(易小冉)
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