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.
在厦门五通客运码头听台胞话“期待”:让回家路更顺畅******
(新春见闻)在厦门五通客运码头听台胞话“期待”:让回家路更顺畅
中新社厦门1月29日电 题:在厦门五通客运码头听台胞话“期待”:让回家路更顺畅
中新社记者 杨伏山
“希望两岸往来可以像以前那样方便,让我们的回家之路可以更顺畅一点。”29日,厦门五通客运码头出发大厅里,春节前搭乘厦(门)金(门)航线航班从金门返乡过年的陆配李小姐正在候船,准备回到金门,“这是我们嫁到金门的人的心声。”
2013年,李小姐从福建石狮嫁到金门。新冠疫情之前,她每年都从金门回老家过年,“而且,随时都可以回来”。
2020年2月以来,两岸“小三通”客运航线停航。在台湾社会各界持续强烈呼吁之下,今年1月7日,两岸“小三通”客运航线部分复航。李小姐在接受中新社记者采访时表示,希望两岸“小三通”客运航线可以一直持续开下去。
对于元宵节过后两岸“小三通”客运航线可能又“停摆”,正在候船的金门人洪先生说,期待继续开通,因为这样可以大大满足他们往返两岸的需求。
“我不想再舟车劳顿,绕一大圈才能往返金厦之间。”洪先生说,他真心的期盼就是两岸“小三通”全面复航,使他们能像以前一样,“早上8点过来,傍晚6点半回家。”
5年前带领一个创业小团队从金门来到厦门的卢莉莉,现为中国民生银行厦门金榜支行行长。受益于两岸“小三通”带来的便利,她以前基本上隔一天就回家一趟。她对记者说,她要向台湾朋友再次呼吁,让两岸“小三通”早日全面复航。
已三年多没有返台的厦门市台商投资企业协会会长、厦门东亚机械工业股份有限公司董事长韩萤焕,今年依然被挡在循两岸“小三通”航线回家之外。他表示,他的新年期待是两岸“小三通”全面复航,促进两岸之间更大的交流。
目前,大陆各方面早已全力以赴为两岸“小三通”客运航线全面复航做好各项准备。据福建省台港澳办透露,自1月7日复航至1月29日,厦金航线运营46航次,客流量3003人次。
当天,中共中央台办、国务院台办主任宋涛,来到厦门五通客运码头出发大厅,看望正候船返金门的台胞,给台胞们拜年。
与正在候船的一名金门小伙子握手后,宋涛问他,回家之路方便吗?金门小伙答道,现在航班少,如果能回到像过去一样,每隔半小时有一班,就更方便了。
宋涛表示,“一家人,常来常往,才能越走越亲”。我们要全面恢复“小三通”和两岸正常交流往来,符合两岸的民意。
对此,金门县长陈福海表示会一起努力,他说,金门与厦门,就是一家人。身旁金门民意代表陈玉珍也指着出发大厅背景墙屏幕上的十个大字说,两岸一家亲,同心共圆梦。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)