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.
五年独自坚守 小站铁警的别样春节****** (新春走基层)五年独自坚守 小站铁警的别样春节 中新网河池1月17日电 题:五年独自坚守 小站铁警的别样春节 作者 孙赟飞 黄勇盛 今年58岁的覃柳宜是南宁铁路公安局柳州公安处金城江车站派出所六甲警务区的驻站民警,警务区只有他一人,今年是他独自坚守这里的第5个春运,也是他从警34年来在小站警务区工作的第24个春运。5年来,覃柳宜安全守护六甲警务区47公里的铁路线,为铁路运输安全添一份安心。 8时许,覃柳宜像往常一样,换上警服骑着单车开始线路巡查工作。六甲警务区管辖黔桂铁路上的岜伦、六甲、大漠、纳朝4个车站共47公里的线路,线路大多穿山越岭,途径的乡镇、村屯较多,人员流动和管理难度较大,沿线治安管理情况较为复杂,线路管理工作难度不小。 当巡查到小三峡景区一段线路时,覃柳宜发现线路防护栅栏出现破损,便立刻拿出手机拨打电话向铁路工务部门汇报情况。“喂,工长,我是派出所覃柳宜,我今天到小三峡这里,发现防防护网破了个洞,麻烦你们派人拿工具来加固。” 2017年10月,覃柳宜刚到六甲警务区驻站时,出现铁路防护网因破损未及时修补,铁路沿线村民的小孩跑到铁路边玩耍。为此,覃柳宜没少费工夫防止孩童翻越护网进入铁路影响列车安全运行。他每天步行40000步,用脚步丈量铁轨,20天走完辖区内的线路,累计巡线200公里,并将发现的68处线路隐患逐一登记造册,通报铁路相关单位及时进行修复,然后再现场确认修复完毕予以销号。 有多年刑侦经验的覃柳宜深知,铁路运输的平安,跟沿线民众的法制意识水平息息相关。为预防沿线路外伤亡事故,他日复一日走村入户,宣传铁路法律法规,讲解铁路安全常识,提醒村民不要图方便上道行走,也不要让大牲畜进入线路。 覃柳宜巡线经过村屯时,拿出随身携带的铁路安全法治宣传资料分发给民众,普及铁路安全法律知识。 “老板娘,你跟孩子讲,不要接近铁路,不要在铁路上面玩耍。”覃柳宜到小卖部宣传说道。 看到有小朋友经过,覃柳宜上前向他们做起了铁路安全宣传:“小朋友,要注意安全,不要上铁路线玩耍。”小朋友们围着他回答道:“好的,警察叔叔。” 覃柳宜向沿线村屯小朋友宣传铁路安全知识。 夏阳春 摄在六甲警务区驻站5年来,覃柳宜和辖区护路队员认真开展线路治安工作,实现了无危及行车安全案(事)件、无铁路交通事故、无因治安问题引发的行车事故、无大牲畜上道、无拆割盗案件零发生的目标。 临近中午,覃柳宜完成上午的巡线工作回到警务区,妻子曾春玲为其准备了午饭。覃柳宜放下警用装备,洗好手走进厨房,帮忙把菜端上桌,夫妻俩边吃边聊。 “在这里生活比较艰苦,工作很忙。我理解他的工作,夫妻三十多年了,一直都是这样过来的,我和女儿都支持他。希望他自己在这里照顾好自己,保重身体。过年了,我们会过来这里陪着他,一家人团圆。”曾春玲说。 “我和爱人结婚33年,陪她的时间相当短,没有尽到丈夫的责任,对女儿也尽不到一个父亲的责任,很是愧疚。但是,这条黔桂线路一直牵挂着我的心,作为一名警察,一定要维护好这条铁路的安全,这是我的第一要务。”覃柳宜说。 覃柳宜和妻子在贴好春联和福字的警务区门口合影。 夏阳春 摄吃完饭,夫妻俩在警务区门口贴春联和福字,让小小的警务区增添了过年的气氛,感觉更加温馨。(完)
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