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.
花灯贺岁战鼓迎春 山西太原2100余人同台竞技“鼓足”干劲******
(新春走基层)花灯贺岁战鼓迎春 山西太原2100余人同台竞技“鼓足”干劲
中新网太原2月3日电 (记者 李庭耀)元宵节即将到来,正月十五闹红火是一种历史悠久的传统民俗文化活动。2月3日,山西太原万柏林区举行2023年“花灯贺岁 战鼓迎春”锣鼓大赛暨花灯展活动,来自全区14个街道选送的15支锣鼓代表队2100余人同台竞技、切磋交流,“鼓足”新一年的干劲。
活动现场,15支锣鼓代表队先后登场,矫健的身姿、摇曳的旌旗、喧天的锣鼓声,鼓手们铿锵有力的鼓点,如万马奔腾、豪放洒脱,又似春雷滚滚、撼人心魄。
来自万柏林区14个街道选送的15支锣鼓代表队1500余人同台竞技、切磋交流。 李庭耀 摄万柏林区委常委、宣传部部长张小军致辞时表示,回顾2022年,该区各项工作取得新进展,经济社会高质量发展取得新成效。全区经济基础稳固夯实、人民生活水平不断改善、社会治理水平不断提升,呈现出政治稳定、经济发展、社会进步、人民和谐幸福的良好局面。
展望2023年,万柏林区也将坚持稳中求进的工作总基调,科学谋划全年目标任务,全力抓好稳增长、促改革、调结构、惠民生、防风险各项工作,继续保持奋发进取的精神状态。
太原锣鼓是国家级非物质文化遗产,其渊源可追溯到先秦时期,最早形成大约在南宋宁宗年间,以铙、钹的特有声响取胜,风格强健有力、层次分明,动作劲烈舒展、粗犷阳刚,节奏激越鲜明,表演场面蔚为壮观。
太原锣鼓是国家级非物质文化遗产,其渊源可追溯到先秦时期,最早形成大约在南宋宁宗年间。 李庭耀 摄“我们组织了100人的锣鼓代表队参赛,包括辖区居民、鼓乐爱好者,不少人平时就会在广场、街心花园组织训练。”万柏林区千峰街道宣传科工作人员杨宇星介绍。
万柏林区和平街道窊流社区龙腾奋进锣鼓队100人参加此次比赛。领队闫永胜今年51岁,打锣鼓已有31年,他告诉记者,每年正月初六到正月十五,都有100名左右社区居民聚在一起打锣鼓,“大家一起庆祝过去一年的收获,憧憬来年,我们热爱打锣鼓,希望传承传统文化”。
万柏林区实验中学初一学生李泽邦也参加了此次比赛,他从去年开始练习锣鼓,“能够参赛我很自豪,以后也想继续练习锣鼓”。该校老师祁艳告诉记者,万柏林区实验中学已把非遗锣鼓文化纳入到校本课程中,学生们可以在指挥的统一引领下,演奏太原锣鼓中的“快流水”“慢流水”等曲牌,部分学生在此基础上进一步提升,可以演奏《秦王点兵》等经典锣鼓合奏。
此外,万柏林区还组织各单位参与花灯展活动,各式花灯营造出喜庆节日氛围,民众在领略传统民俗魅力的同时,也让该区人气热起来、消费旺起来、经济活起来、城市靓起来。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |