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.
“浙”里台胞“闹元宵”:感受大陆生活人情味****** 中新网宁波2月3日电(记者 林波)“‘双喜临门’打一城市。是重庆?我好像猜出这个灯谜啦!”台属彭小利指着彩灯上的灯谜兴奋地说。这是浙江省宁波市北仑区举办两岸同胞闹元宵活动中的一景。 宁波与台湾在人缘、文缘、商缘上有着特殊的亲缘关系,两地历史渊源深厚、现实联系紧密,在两岸交流交往中有着特殊优势。 在台胞台属“登陆”创业创新时,如何传递大陆生活人情味?元宵将至,宁波通过举办台胞台属系列元宵联谊会,让台胞台属享受到“家门口”的温暖与热闹,让他们安心扎根宁波,把宁波当故乡。 在甬台胞制作汤圆。 徐鑫供图在宁波市海曙区南门街道万安社区,在甬(宁波简称)台胞、两岸婚姻家庭代表和当地居民身穿汉服相聚一堂,感受中华传统文化之美。 无灯谜,不元宵。在活动现场,200多条包含中华传统文化、人物、地名、古诗词等知识的谜面,吸引老少积极猜谜,气氛热烈。 “甬台两地庆祝元宵节都有赏花灯、猜灯谜、逛灯会等传统习俗,现场活动内容丰富多彩,让孩子对传统习俗有所了解,不仅感受到了元宵佳节独特的文化内涵,也是对中华优秀传统文化的弘扬。”在宁波生活了15年的台胞梁宸郡带着9岁的女儿参加了此次活动。 在甬台胞制作花灯。 阚绪献供图庆元宵,汤圆必不可少。在万安社区居家养老服务站,台胞台属还一起包汤圆、品汤圆。 在宁波创业的台青涂雅晴第一次在大陆参加元宵活动。她接受采访时表示,除了宁波汤圆外,在活动中她还吃到了地道的台湾咸汤圆,“是家的味道,让人心安。” 在活动中,涂雅晴体验了汉服、灯谜等传统文化,玩得很开心,“今年准备在海曙启动我人生中首个创业餐厅,希望我的创业也能沾一沾传统佳节的喜气,热热闹闹、蒸蒸日上!” 与此同时,在宁波市北仑区新碶街道玉兰社区的城市书房内,挂满了带有谜语的彩灯和火红的灯笼,台胞台属们洋溢着灿烂的笑容,体验着各项活动。 在甬台胞投壶现场。 阚绪献供图在花灯制作区,台青林奕岑正在老师的指导下制作花灯,一剪一贴,一只灵动活泼的兔子花灯便呈现在眼前。 “这是我第一次尝试制作花灯,感觉很新奇,老师教我们制作的小兔子很可爱,跟兔年刚好呼应。”林奕岑直言,通过这次活动认识了不少朋友,收获了新的友谊,“感觉很热闹,很有过节的氛围。” 宁波市台胞台属联谊会副会长张汶芳表示,宁波是一座友好的城市,从中可以感受到大陆生活的人情味,“每逢佳节,我们联谊会和当地社区一起,邀请台胞台属参加一些有趣的活动,在生活上也给予关怀,让‘登陆’台胞切实感受到大陆的善意与温暖。”(完)
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