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.
中共二十大报告传递中国经济确定性****** (中共二十大·观察)中共二十大报告传递中国经济确定性 中新社北京10月17日电 (记者 王恩博)确定性,这个当今世界的“稀缺品”,大量体现在中共二十大报告绘制的中国经济蓝图中。提出一系列新观点、新论断的同时,报告也以诸多具有连贯性、一致性的表述,传递出关于中国经济的稳定预期。 “发展”的地位进一步明确。二十大报告提出,发展是党执政兴国的第一要务。这与十九大报告中“发展是解决中国一切问题的基础和关键”的表述一脉相承。 幼有所育、学有所教、劳有所得、病有所医、老有所养、住有所居、弱有所扶,作为一个大国,中国发展中的各项目标都需要财力物力保障,这归根结底要以稳定而可持续的经济发展为支撑。 2013年至2021年,中国国内生产总值年均增长6.6%,高于同期世界和发展中经济体平均增长水平。这一时期,恩格尔系数降低至30%以下,居民生活水平进一步提高。正是经济实力的大幅提升,让发展成果惠及全体人民成为可能。 二十大报告强调“高质量发展是全面建设社会主义现代化国家的首要任务”,折射出中共对“发展”的重视一以贯之。“建设现代化产业体系”“加快发展方式绿色转型”等要求,则意味着中国经济将因应形势,不断改进发展“方程式”。 改革的方向也得到延续。“坚持社会主义市场经济改革方向”,连续两次党代会报告,这个表述一字不差。 十年来,中国共推出2000多个改革方案,涉及经济社会各领域,涵盖衣、食、住、行、教育、医疗、养老等各方面,十八届三中全会部署的改革任务总体完成,十九大以后部署的新改革任务接续推进。 如今改革行至中流,剩下的多是“硬骨头”。在推动科技高水平自立自强、建设高标准市场体系、防范化解风险、促进经济社会发展全面绿色转型等方面,尤其如此。 “把实施扩大内需战略同深化供给侧结构性改革有机结合起来”“加快建设现代化经济体系”“深化农村土地制度改革”……二十大报告中的改革相关部署,多落脚在亟待突破的堵点,以及微观务实的细节。 这将成为持续激活中国发展潜能的“钥匙”。中国国家发改委体改司副司长蒋毅表示,中国将用足用好改革这个“关键一招”,为经济社会平稳健康发展注入强大动力。 “开放”的决心有增无减。二十大报告明确“推进高水平对外开放”,在此前“推动形成全面开放新格局”的基础上,中国开放的大门只会越开越大。 过去十年,共建“一带一路”成为深受欢迎的国际公共产品和国际合作平台,中国成为140多个国家和地区的主要贸易伙伴,货物贸易总额居世界第一,吸引外资和对外投资居世界前列,对外开放的平台更高、范围更宽。 随着二十大报告进一步提出“稳步扩大规则、规制、管理、标准等制度型开放”“营造市场化、法治化、国际化一流营商环境”“深度参与全球产业分工和合作”,中国对外开放料将走向更深层次、更优格局。 这无疑是世界的利好。中国人民大学重阳金融研究院高级研究员何伟文认为,中国打开国门,面向全世界合作,将获得广阔发展空间,也将为各国合作共赢提供强大支撑。 “民生”的思维贯穿始终。“增进民生福祉,提高人民生活品质”,这个历来被中共视作工作出发点、落脚点的议题,在二十大报告中不出意外占据相当篇幅。 收入是民众最有感的关键指标之一。报告提出,努力提高居民收入在国民收入分配中的比重,提高劳动报酬在初次分配中的比重。“促进机会公平,增加低收入者收入,扩大中等收入群体”的细致要求也被写入其中。中国的“民富”与“国富”已走上同一条轨道。 当然,随着中国人对美好生活的需求更加丰富、全面,“民生”二字不再是单一领域的概念,更演变成综合性、多向度的载体。由此,“实施就业优先战略”“健全社会保障体系”“推进健康中国建设”等任务,在报告中都得到具体阐述。 “治国有常,利民为本”,当保障和改善民生从理念到执行层面都得到更好贯彻,中国人的获得感、幸福感、安全感将更加充实、更有保障、更可持续。(完) (文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |