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.
回家,过年!****** “啥时候回来呀?” “啥也别买,你回来就行。” “到哪啦?” “不着急,等你们回来吃饭!” …… 你有多久没回家了? 最想念的人是谁? 一位母亲在院子里 一遍一遍地扫着自家大门口, 时不时看向门口的路。 图片来源:新华网微博视频截图不知过了多久, 一名男生背着吉他出现在门口, 母亲激动地抱住儿子, 儿子抱起母亲,转了又转。 图片来源:新华网微博视频截图男生接受采访时表示: “后来,我在监控里看到, 妈妈在门口等了有三四个小时, 眼泪哇哇地流……” 一女子和看养自己长大的大伯说 过几天带着一家回去过年。 第二天, 监控里看到大伯在庭院里洗洗晒晒, 床单被子晒满了院子, 直至把全部被子晾晒好后, 朝着监控深深望去…… 图片来源:九派新闻视频截图一女子驾车返乡, 因堵车严重且已是凌晨, 便未通知家人自己的位置。 到达时, 发现12名家人站在路边等候。 女子说: “很感动, 这真的是我一点也没想象到的!” 图片来源:点时新闻视频截图外出打工的父母回家过年, 两个孩子得知消息便一直在家等待。 一直没睡的孩子们听到父母的声音, 立刻飞奔出来, 一头扑进父母的怀里。 父亲表示: “不管在外面受了多大委屈, 看到那一刻,真的什么都值了!” 图片来源:中新视频截图一对双胞胎萌娃站在门口, 看到爸爸回到家的那一刻, 她们惊喜尖叫,手舞足蹈, 嘴里一直叫着 “爸爸爸爸……” 图片来源:人民视频截图一名在外务工的女子 瞒着爸爸提前回家。 当傍晚天黑, 干完活回家的爸爸 突然看到她从屋里走出来, 两只手握紧,一时间忘了说话, 脸上绽放出淳朴又惊喜的笑容。 图片来源:新华网微博视频截图“怎么可能还会有石榴呢?” 一名男子回家, 发现父亲将石榴埋在沙土里, 专程等自己回来吃。 男子表示, 父亲将这些石榴从中秋埋到了元旦, 拿出来吃的时候还很新鲜。 图片来源:人民视频截图一名女子悄悄回家过节, 开门的姥姥认出后, 上前一把抱住外孙女, 激动得不停地拍打着她。 这一抱,胜过千言万语。 图片来源:人民日报微博视频截图小时候, 总想着离家远一点, 以为这样才会有自由, 不用每天听长辈们的唠唠叨叨。 长大后发现, 家才是最温暖的地方, 每一句唠叨,其实都是关心与爱, 在外奔波的辛苦与劳累, 在回到家的那一刻,烟消云散。 资料图。中新社记者 陈骥旻 摄“我们总会绕啊绕, 绕几千里路也望向归途……” 相聚、拥抱、惊喜、泪目…… 总有一刻让你感受到 回家的意义。 春节临近, 有人盼你回家,就是最大的幸福! 你今年在哪儿过年? 哪一瞬间让你觉得“回家真好”? 评论区聊聊吧! 中国新闻社(CNS1952)综合自中国新闻网、中新视频、人民视频、新华网、九派新闻等
|