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.
走铁道登列车 “临时客运员”服务春运路****** (新春走基层)走铁道登列车 “临时客运员”服务春运路 中新网广州1月30日电 题:走铁道登列车 “临时客运员”服务春运路 作者 郭军 陆省省 回家的步履匆忙,述说着对团圆的渴望,返程的行李沉甸甸,带着亲人的期望。一年一度的春运路进入返程高峰,广铁集团广州工务段的一群年轻人,平时忙碌在铁道线上,为钢轨诊治病害,春运期间又变身“临时客运员”,倾情服务春运旅途。 按照广铁集团春运支援计划,广州工务段春节前负责东莞东至南充3个车组、广州东至梅州2个车组,共计160余人参加春运支援工作。节后负责深圳至岳阳2个车组,共计42人。 “我们每天都要按要求,学习工作流程及注意事项,比如开关车门、高低站台的区别、防爆、防火以及手持电子终端机验证客票等各项基础操作,把人身安全、规章制度、卫生管理、细节把控等各方面要求内化到日常值乘过程之中。”车组小组长曹时辉说。 据了解,该段领导不仅到站台上进行了动员,还多次到站台慰问支援人员,同时建立了工作群,时刻关注每个车组出发、到达情况。 参加此次支援春运工作的160余名工作人员,绝大多数都是“00后”。为了保障旅客的乘车安全,每个车组都成立了志愿突击小队,帮扶老、弱等重点旅客,让旅途充满温暖与关怀。 春节期间,广州东至梅州组的值乘人员还特地准备了窗花、灯笼,与旅客一起装饰车厢。“我们就是想让旅客感到像是‘回了家’,而不仅仅是‘上了车’。”支援此次春运的小组长曾帆荣说到,“春运支援是工作,也是一种新的体验,更是一部青春奋斗成长的阶梯”。 “00后”何佳颖说:“之前都是旅客身份,第一次以乘务人员的身份参与春运,的确有很不一样的体验,乘务工作也不是想的那么容易,里面有很多细节需要注意。当然,我也会更努力地做好服务工作”。 东莞东至南充小组的颜啸,在1500多公里的值乘路上感慨颇多,他说车上的旅客一路上谈收获、谈工作、谈烦恼、谈爱情,有人欢喜,也有人落寞,有人平静,也有人激动,但谈及家乡和亲人,每个人眼中都有光。“作为一名临时客运员,能服务他们走完这趟旅途,我觉得很幸福。”(完) (文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |