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.
赏民俗购年货 吉庆街里品“年味武汉”******
(新春走基层)赏民俗购年货 吉庆街里品“年味武汉”
中新网武汉1月15日电 (记者 张芹)看演出、逛市集、品美食……2023“年味武汉”吉庆民俗迎春文化活动15日下午在江岸区吉庆街开启。活动现场,书法家、民间剪纸艺术家书写春联、“福”字、剪窗花赠送给市民、游客。
当日正值南方农历小年,走进吉庆街,一串串红灯笼、中国结将街道装饰一新,耳畔欢快的乐曲此起彼伏,“年味”迎面而来。德华楼、汪玉霞、冠生园等老字号店铺里,市民排起了长队。
民间剪纸艺术家现场剪窗花 张芹 摄活动现场,武汉老字号汪玉霞的现炸京果最受欢迎。66岁的李师傅从事传统汉味糕点制作已经40余年,即使已经退休,每逢春节总是会被特意请来制作京果。将糯米粉制成的面团切丁,下油锅炸至金黄酥脆,再浸泡在糖水中,而后裹满雪白的糖霜,一颗颗油香甜蜜的京果便制作而成。
“京果是武汉的传统点心,春节走亲访友待客必不可少。”李师傅告诉记者,京果是否好吃,酥脆是关键,这就考验师傅们对食材比例的控制和火候的把握。
市民购买现炸京果 张芹 摄当日,武汉市民李英带着孙子前来采购年货。她告诉记者,吉庆街是武汉传统老街,汇聚了众多武汉老字号,虽然现在各种口味的点心层出不穷,但逢年过节总少不了来此寻寻武汉的老味道。
“这里‘年味’很浓,到处都是喜庆的氛围。”来自河南的李丹妮已在武汉游玩一周,返程前特意找出“攻略”直奔吉庆街选购伴手礼。
书法家为市民、游客写春联 张芹 摄江岸区文化馆工作人员曹景告诉记者,今年迎春文化活动从腊月二十四小年开始,一直持续到正月十五,市民、游客不仅可在此品尝地道武汉美食,选购特色年货,还能欣赏到丰富多彩的文艺演出及非遗技艺。其间,还将举行威风锣鼓、舞龙舞狮、请财神送福禄、猜灯谜、闹元宵等民俗活动。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |