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.
侨乡“花式”送祝福 一解侨胞思乡情****** 中新社北京1月30日电 (记者 刘立琨)兔年春节期间,多个侨乡通过举办地方特色演出、邀请侨胞体验传统年俗、介绍华侨文化等方式,营造浓郁的节日气氛,也向海外游子送去来自家乡的新春祝福。 为迎接新一年的到来,广东省江门市侨联举办兔年挥春活动,向侨胞赠送了200余副春联和福字斗方。活动中,侨胞代表与书法大家共同挥毫,感受书法艺术的魅力,用一副副春联书写出浓浓的年味。 红色剪纸有序铺排,一张张栩栩如生的五角星、中国结、“兔福”跃然眼前。在专业老师的指导下,潮州市湘桥区的归侨侨眷们用鲜活的剪纸作品,表达了对新一年的美好期盼。 湘桥区侨联主席谢淑川表示,希望在春节之际通过活动缓解大家的思亲之情,让侨眷们感受到家的温暖。 春节期间,泉州华侨历史博物馆“根脉寻踪——南洋华裔族群寻根谒祖综合服务平台体验展示馆”开展系列活动。展览将观展与互动相结合,打破了时空限制,以“沉浸式”体验向公众普及华侨历史,介绍华侨文化。 观众可以查询泉州主要姓氏的图腾、源流及迁移历史;聆听泉籍侨胞寻根圆梦的故事,观看泉籍侨胞返乡寻根图片;查阅家族侨批,手写家书为亲人送祝福;观赏3D华侨民居全景,了解其建筑价值、历史价值和人文价值。 分送新春“福”包,把家乡人民的关心问候传递给住在国的侨胞和民众;邀请非遗传承人教大家剪纸、写春联、做年画,讲江苏过年期间的风俗活动;邀请淮扬名厨,教大家制作体现春节年味、淮扬特色、地标美食的年夜饭……兔年春节期间,江苏省侨联开展了“亲情中华·年味江苏”系列活动,给海外华侨华人送上了江苏特色的“文化盛宴”。 近年来,江苏省侨联的新春活动已逐渐形成品牌。在今年的新春海外送“福”活动中,多位楹联大家创作了具有“侨”特色的楹联作品,让承载着家乡人民心意的新春祝福漂洋过海,受到了海外侨胞的热烈欢迎。 多地侨联举办新春晚会,以慰藉侨胞的思乡之情。四川省侨联举办“亲情中华·美丽四川”新春慰侨演出,并向海外侨胞征集祝福视频;“亲情中华·春潮瓯越”世界温州侨胞春节联欢晚会,分设4个海外分会场,将海外民风民情与中华传统文化结合,侨胞们纷纷送上新年祝福,表达他们对家乡亲人的思念和祝愿。(完) (文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |