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.
吉林新年“绿意盎然”:冬季农博会展示中外农业风情******
(新春走基层)吉林新年“绿意盎然”:冬季农博会展示中外农业风情
中新网长春1月12日电 (谭伟旗)12日的长春农博园热闹非凡,园内的特色植物、珍稀动物各具风采。置身其中,让人仿佛忘记了此刻正是中国北方的寒冬时节。
第十三届吉林(长春)冬季农业博览会当天开幕,20万平方米的展示区域,安排了设施农业、观光农业、农业科技成果转化、新春年货展销等展区,既具科技感,又“年味儿”十足。
长春农博园内的植物景观 谭伟旗 摄作为中国的农业大省,吉林在设施农业发展方面不断取得新突破。长春农博园6万平方米的连栋智能温室里,重点展示了高新无土栽培、规模化无土栽培、基质栽培技术、热带果树园、鲜切花卉园、沙漠植物园、植物工厂等特色农业技术和成果。
室外,两栋不加温温室展示了北方冬季温室不供暖进行叶菜及果蔬生产,高效节能环保,成为北方现代农业模板。
长春农博园内展示的无土栽培技术 谭伟旗 摄世界农业风情园一直都有着火热的人气。园内划分亚洲、欧洲、美洲、非洲、大洋洲等五大洲农业风情区域,共推出300多种极具代表性的特色植物,形象生动地呈现了世界各地风格迥异的农业文明。
植物之外,珍禽园里的孔雀、鹦鹉等40多种动物也都极具观赏性;各类淡水鱼、海水鱼、观赏鱼、水母及趣味海洋动物在渔业展馆内尽情畅游。
长春市政府副秘书长孟宪新表示,由长春市政府主办的吉林(长春)冬季农博会,已成功举办了十二届,以其独特的魅力和展示形式,丰富了广大市民和农民群众春节期间的文化生活,成为吉林长春冬季冰雪旅游和冰雪文化的重要品牌。
孟宪新介绍,本届展会集农业品牌展示、现代农业观光、新春年货采购、节庆文化活动于一体,能够让更多的游客在浓郁的年味中领略北国春城的独特魅力,尽享长春现代农业发展带来的丰硕成果。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |