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.
“加速奔跑”奏响新时代“最强音”******
心之所系,行之所至。面向未来,党员干部要以奋斗之姿昂首奋进,以拼搏状态接续赶考,加速奔跑在新时代的征途上,奔赴光荣与梦想的远征,向第二个百年奋斗目标勇毅迈进。
以“一往无前”的奋斗姿态砥砺前行,以信仰引领前行。
回望波澜壮阔的党史长河,一代代共产党人在实践中探索,在奋斗中坚持,一路挥洒热情与汗水,一路拼搏奋进、勇往直前,以开拓进取的干劲、艰苦卓绝的努力开创新景、赢得胜利,在他们身上闪耀着艰苦奋斗的精神,他们对信仰的执着追求令人动容。眺望远方的路,壮阔的征程在脚下,崭新的蓝图铺展开来,广大党员干部要以主动求索回应时代之问,以不懈努力扛起人民所托,以坚定的理想信念接续奋斗,主动应变、积极求变,用辛勤的付出和晶莹的汗水托举起更加美好的未来,用信仰凝聚起一往无前的奋斗势能,用奋斗去开创未来、书写辉煌。
以“众志成城”的姿态聚力向前,以团结战胜挑战。从塞罕坝的绿林奇迹到星辰大海之梦的成功实现,从奥运会的历史首创到乡村振兴的全面铺开,奋斗的道路上,有一张张坚韧不拔的面孔,有一双手勤勉作为的双手,凭借着团结一心的奋斗,我们共赴未来、共创美好,把力量凝结成“钢铁长城”,伟大成就背后凝结着几代人的奋斗和心血,“接力棒”在传承着,奔赴梦想的决心和信念在奋斗中凝聚着。新的征程上,广大党员干部要扛起新的使命,团结带领人民群众一同奋斗,以滴水穿石、久久为功的恒心投身伟大事业,坚持“干”字当头冲锋向前,集中力量办成更多的大事,心往一处想、劲往一处使,在团结奋斗中赢得新胜利。
以“挺膺担当”的姿态奉献为民,以初心汇聚力量。党员干部要锚定人民群众对美好生活的向往,形成攻坚克难、全力以赴的奋斗合力,扎根广袤乡村、服务基层一线,收集人民群众的“心愿清单”,将心愿逐一实现,将问题逐个化解,当好人民群众的“守护人”。要涵养拼搏进取的品格,将为民情怀融入到“逢山开路,遇水架桥”的火热实践中,在苦干实干中践行岗位职责,在担当作为中回应群众呼声,以“我将无我,不负人民”的情怀托举起人民群众稳稳的幸福,用初心汇聚力量,不断提升人民群众的幸福感和获得感。(杨亚均)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)