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.
东西问丨短评：2023，如何“贞下起元”？****** 中新社北京12月31日电 题：2023，如何“贞下起元”？ 中新社记者 安英昭  行至岁末，久违的烟火气重回中国大地。回望2022，地球在动荡中运转，人类在负重下前进。365个日夜，历史见证了美丽与神奇，也目睹着危机与转机。《易经》有言，“元亨利贞”，昨日疫情的“至暗时刻”不应遗忘，冬去春来的明天值得期待。 2023，如何“贞下起元”？ 一曰美美与共，推动文明交流互鉴。  图为2022年2月4日晚，第二十四届冬季奥林匹克运动会开幕式上的主火炬。中新社记者 李骏 摄文明之美，无问东西。2022年堪称“体育大年”，年初的冬奥会让北京再次惊艳世界，年底的世界杯让世人重新认识了卡塔尔。令人难忘的是，谷爱凌实力圈粉的同时，羽生结弦在遗憾中退隐；球王贝利弥留之际，见证了梅西率队举起大力神杯。这些瞬间，正因全世界观众的共享而定格成经典，人类的共情在体育世界中历久弥新。 透过体育这扇窗，可洞见文明久久不息的火光。鸟巢上空“天下一家”(One World One Family)的焰火，诉说着中华文明的博爱与包容；海湾球场内“此刻即所有”(Now is All)的口号，抒发出阿拉伯文明对人类团结的呼吁。顾拜旦歌颂体育“在各民族间建立愉快的联系”“使全世界的青年学会相互尊重和学习”，在文明冲突论时有所闻的今天，“现代奥林匹克之父”的箴言仍具启示意义。 二曰求同存异，共同应对危机挑战。  图为当地时间2022年3月8日，乌克兰基辅郊区，当地民众撤离伊尔平时，穿过一条在废墟上临时搭建的道路。止战之殇，呼唤和平。2022年的欧洲大陆，随乌克兰危机爆发而笼罩于阴霾之下。但北约东扩的脚步并未停顿，能源问题更雪上加霜。在全球化早已使各国“你打喷嚏我感冒”的今天，欧洲的凛冬已然波及世界。 人类共居小小寰球之上，战争危机、气候变化、粮食安全、难民问题等接踵而至，唯有抛开区分求共对，方能克难前行。世界总人口已逾80亿，为子孙后代计、为永续发展谋，人类文明才能在地球上创造下一个辉煌。 三曰团结合作，集中精力聚焦发展。 未来之路，携手前行。2022年的世界经济，在百年变局叠加世纪疫情的背景下疲态尽显。国际货币基金组织连续4次下调世界经济增速预期，除少数东南亚国家仍有上升外，世界上绝大部分经济体都出现较大幅度回落。 眼下，中国历经一千多个日夜后进入防疫新阶段。许多被迫按下“暂停键”的行业陆续回归，一些濒临破产的企业重拾希望，正如多家机构预测，2023年中国经济发展的底气更足、韧性更强、后劲更大。在以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的历史进程中，中国将为世界释放更多确定性，注入更多正能量。 过去三年，对于中国和世界都是异常艰难的。经此一“疫”，人们当更坚强。2023，愿人们在交流互鉴中，共享文明多样的芬芳；在求同存异中，共对地球面临的挑战；在团结合作中，共赴人类美好的未来。(完)
|
