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.
中国驻韩国大使馆举办旅韩侨界新春座谈会******
中新网首尔2月2日电 (记者 刘旭)当地时间2月1日下午,中国驻韩国大使馆举办旅韩侨界新春座谈会,中国驻韩国大使邢海明出席并讲话,使馆公使方坤、领事参赞邓琼参加。中国在韩侨民协会总会会长王海军、汉城华侨协会会长孙毓绪等20余位侨届代表相聚一堂,共庆新春团圆,共话两岸一家亲。
中国驻韩国大使馆举办旅韩侨界新春座谈会。 刘旭 摄邢海明向在韩侨胞送上新春祝福,并表示,刚刚过去的壬寅虎年是极不平凡的一年。党的二十大胜利召开,擘画了全面建设社会主义现代化国家、以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的宏伟蓝图,吹响了奋进新征程的时代号角。中韩迎来建交30周年,双方举行了丰富多彩的纪念活动,总结经验,谋划未来。习近平主席同尹锡悦总统首次线下会晤,并通过各种形式保持密切沟通,为两国关系进一步发展指明方向。全年中韩双边贸易额达3623亿美元,韩国首次成为中国第二大贸易伙伴国,两国经贸关系更加紧密,各领域合作破浪前行。
邢海明强调,过去一年,面对愈发复杂严峻的台海形势,祖国大陆牢牢把握两岸关系主导权和主动权,团结两岸同胞推动两岸关系向前发展,对台工作取得新进展。越来越多台湾同胞深刻认识到,“台独”分裂势力操弄“抗中保台”不得人心,“倚外谋独”注定失败。国家统一、民族复兴的历史车轮滚滚向前,祖国完全统一一定要实现,也一定能够实现。
中国驻韩国大使馆举办旅韩侨界新春座谈会。 刘旭 摄邢海明指出,2023年是全面贯彻落实党的二十大精神的开局之年,也是中韩关系继往开来的一年。希望在新的一年里,旅韩侨胞能够和衷共济,同心共圆中国梦;坚守大义,坚决反对“台独”分裂和外来干涉;以侨为桥,积极推动中韩民间友好。使馆也将继续践行“以人为本、外交为民”宗旨,用心用情用力为广大侨胞办实事、解难题。
中国在韩侨民协会总会会长王海军在座谈会发言。 刘旭 摄与会侨领在发言中表示,将进一步凝聚旅韩华侨华人力量,建设和谐侨社,努力做好中韩民间交流使者。旅韩华侨华人坚定支持党的二十大报告作出的对台工作总体部署和战略安排,坚决反对“台独”势力,反对一切外部势力插手中国台湾事务的行径,期待早日实现祖国统一。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |