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.
第二届松花江冬捕文化节在吉林靖宇举行******
渔民们正在拉网、收网。 谭伟旗 摄
中新网吉林靖宇1月10日电 (谭伟旗)10日,“中国·松花江旅游季”暨第二届松花江冬捕文化节在吉林省靖宇县举行。冬捕、冰雪运动、年货大集等活动多姿多彩,让游客领略到了当地独具魅力的冰雪风光和东北的纯朴风情。
当天,由鱼把头主持祭江仪式。遥祭长白山、诵读祭文、醒网,鱼把头带领渔民还喝上一碗壮行酒。随着一声响亮的号子声,渔民们开始拉网、收网,一条条大鱼跃水而出,场面壮观。
在靖宇县,当地的铁锅炖江鱼、小鸡炖蘑菇、猪肉炖酸菜等地道菜品深受游客喜爱;滑冰、雪圈、雪地摩托、UTV全地形车等各式可全民参与的项目更为游客带来极佳的冰雪体验。
吉林省文化和旅游厅二级巡视员龙云飞表示,此次靖宇县举办的“中国·松花江旅游季”暨第二届松花江冬捕文化节活动,既是对吉林省冰雪节事活动的补充,也是对吉林冰雪产品的完善,更是优化提升靖宇百姓文化生活的有力举措。
近年来,靖宇县率先打响松花江文旅品牌,成功举办“中国·松花江旅游季”系列活动,策划推出游船节、音乐节、长白山寒地蓝莓节等特色主题节庆,进一步扩大了靖宇美景美食的影响力,全面提升了靖宇文化旅游的知名度和美誉度。
靖宇县位于吉林省东南部,长白山西侧,松花江干流途经靖宇县128余公里,流域面积3088平方公里,流经4个乡镇14个村屯,汇入河流15条。松花江流域水质优越,两岸居民从古至今敬畏自然,生产生活的同时注重生态保护,因此松花江流域渔业发达。
另据记者了解,靖宇县将全力打响“心往长白山·松花江上游”旅游IP,繁荣发展“红、绿、金、银、蓝”五色旅游,加快推进松花江生态旅游风景区基础设施、东北抗联诞生地公园、全国首家乡村供销集市、松花江民俗村、长白山神庙窑址恢复、长白山植物园等项目建设,高标准开发“松花江三峡”,全面启动“吃住行游购娱”一船通旅游新业态,常态化举办年俗节、游船节、蓝莓节等特色文旅活动,着力打造具有当地特色的松花江生态旅游经济带。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)