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.
内蒙古“新”“老”港澳委员齐议政:远距离更易产生“新鲜感”****** 中新网呼和浩特1月12日电 题:内蒙古“新”“老”港澳委员齐议政:远距离更易产生“新鲜感” 中新网记者 乌娅娜 在内蒙古自治区政协十三届一次会议的分组讨论中,来自港澳地区的政协委员积极为内蒙古的发展建言献策,而他们中有今年第一次履职的“新委员”,也有参加过多届会议的“老委员”。 尽管港澳地区与内蒙古南北相隔,但与会委员纷纷表示,远距离更容易产生“新鲜感”,有更多合作的机会和可能。 “我今年第一次担任政协委员,已经安排好在本届政协会议闭幕后走访一些创业孵化企业和高校开展调研。”魏立新是澳门青年创业孵化中心的董事,他把“促进内蒙古与澳门创新创业合作”写进了自己的提案当中。 魏立新介绍,澳门青年创业孵化中心为当地的青年创业者提供财务、法律、咨询等服务,还举办创业活动、论坛等,为青年人提供了优质的创业环境。 澳门青年创业孵化中心已“北上”与内地多地开展了合作。“从我们以往的经验来看,澳门青年与内地青年合作创业成功率更高,这一模式也可以在内蒙古地区进行复制。”魏立新坦言。 内蒙古作为中国向北开放的桥头堡,拥有得天独厚的区位优势,而澳门也被赋予“世界旅游休闲中心”“中国与葡语国家商贸合作服务平台”和“以中华文化为主流,多元文化共存的交流合作基地”,“两地在创新创业环境上都具有不同的优势和资源,可以建立恒常的沟通机制,共享两地创业资源,共同为有志于拓展的创业青年提供服务。”魏立新说道。 时隔三年,香港委员许美娟再次来到呼和浩特参会。“虽然三年没有过来,但是我们一直利用网络履职,通过政协云平台,参与线上读书会,进行线上考察,能够及时了解内蒙古各个领域的发展状况。” 凭借冬奥会的余温,许美娟也看到了内蒙古发展冬季旅游的潜力。她介绍:“香港民众其实很热衷于冬季旅游,但大多都会选择国外,大部分人并不了解内蒙古的冬天有多么美。希望内蒙古好好把握冬季旅游资源,进一步宣传,让更多香港民众亲身感受冬天的内蒙古。” 在她的提案中还提到,内蒙古因独特的地理环境和气候条件,孕育了种类繁多的道地中药材品种,但由于种种原因,内蒙古中药材产品“养在深闺人未识”。香港有着中药材先进的科研体系、国际化市场营销体系和雄厚的资金优势。两地共同发展中药材产业的前景广阔。 来自香港的吴葵生是内蒙古政协的“老委员”,在看到新一届年轻有为的港澳委员时,他很欣慰,但同时也告诉他们:“政协委员参政议政,不是会上说两句话就可以,一定要多考察、多研究,了解实际情况,提案才能更加精准,才能真正反映社情民意。” 吴葵生早已把内蒙古当成了他的第二故乡,他说:“觉得内蒙古很遥远,是因为不了解,远的不是距离,而是心。港澳委员就是要做好桥梁纽带的作用,增进相互了解的同时,为内蒙古与港澳地区乃至与粤港澳大湾区之间传递更多信息和理念。” 对此,吴葵生建言,建设蒙·港澳经贸文化合作交流信息化平台,为内蒙古招商引资、人才引进和内蒙古企业走出去牵线搭桥提供服务。(完) (文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |