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.
为劳动放歌!“中国梦·劳动美”新年音乐会举办****** 光明网讯(记者邱晓琴)辞旧迎新之时,12月26日晚,由全总文工团主办的“中国梦·劳动美”2023新年交响音乐会在中央歌剧院举办。音乐会由全总文工团常务副团长兼艺术总监、著名女高音歌唱家陈思思领衔担纲,特邀北京电视台主持人春妮、陈竞担任主持,青年指挥家孙莹执棒。著名歌唱家丁毅及青年歌唱家李爽、郭橙橙、于海洋等加盟演唱,全总文工团独唱演员杨竹青、马晓梦、李金点等盛装上阵。 音乐会现场 侯梦阳、王薇/供图 音乐会以宏伟而抒情的管弦乐作品《红旗颂》作为开场序曲,分“奋进新征程”和“礼赞新时代”上、下两个篇章,时长近100分钟。 陈思思介绍,演出以管弦乐,混声合唱,四重唱,二重唱,独唱、表演唱等多种形式呈现,不仅囊括了多首脍炙人口的经典乐曲、歌曲,还展示了全总文工团原创作品《中国梦·劳动美》《敢闯才会赢》,以及“庆祝二十大 建功新时代”全国企行业歌曲、职工舞蹈、职工曲艺小品征集展演活动中脱颖而出的优秀获奖歌曲《从小李到老李》《同心圆》等,交响乐团、合唱团和歌手们的共同演绎,营造了喜庆二十大的浓郁氛围,为观众带来了听觉和视觉的享受。 尾声为一曲豪迈铿锵的大合唱《亿万职工心向党》。陈思思说:“亿万职工心向党,让我们万众一心,奋进新征程、礼赞新时代!” 音乐会现场 侯梦阳、王薇/供图 音乐会总监制、全总文工团党委书记、团长钱磊介绍,乐曲悠扬、歌喉动人,不但吟咏着对祖国的热爱、对工作与生活的激情,更是用歌声贺岁,为劳动放歌,唱响新时代的主旋律,满怀豪情向奋战在各行各业各条战线的劳动者,致以崇高敬意和美好的新年祝福。 “光荣属于劳动者,幸福属于劳动者!我们以音乐盛会的艺术形式,送来全总领导及各级工会组织对大家的关心与问候,真诚慰问一直坚守和奋战在一线的职工群众和广大劳动者,向大家道一声,你们辛苦了!祝愿大家在新的一年里身体健康,工作顺利,阖家幸福,吉祥安康。”钱磊说。 全总文工团成立于1956年,是中国工会系统唯一的国家级综合性专业文艺院团。“中国梦·劳动美”主题新年交响音乐会作为全总文工团一个独特的文艺品牌,每到岁末之际,以文艺的形式致敬广大劳动者,致敬一年来奋战在各行各业各条战线的职工群众和广大劳动者,在优美绝伦的音乐与昂扬向上的歌声中迎接崭新一年,至今已成功举办六届。 (文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |