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.
铁路宁波站值班站长的24小时:保障五湖四海旅客回家路******
(新春走基层)铁路宁波站值班站长的24小时:保障五湖四海旅客回家路
中新网宁波1月16日电(林波 徐峰 李芮)1月16日2时43分的铁路宁波站,灯火通明。春运期间临时加开的K4654次普速列车,缓缓驶出。
今年春运,返乡客流明显回升,铁路宁波站临时加开了13趟开往重庆、合肥、阜阳、贵阳、南昌方向的列车。
其中,几趟在深夜开行的列车,让铁路宁波站值班站长任淑青格外挂心。
虽然已经和春运打了8年交道,但今年的春运,对任淑青来说仍是一次特别的考验,“春运期间,许多旅客会在深夜携带大包小包,来到火车站候车室,熬夜等待开行的列车。”
每当此时,任淑青手里的那部站长热线手机,便会此起彼伏地响起。
“从去年开始,铁路宁波站新开通了站长热线,号码就在站内时刻表大屏的下方。”正说着,任淑青手中的电话又响了起来,又有一位旅客拨通了站长热线寻求帮助。
站长热线位于时刻表大屏下方。 铁路宁波站供图“您好,我是铁路宁波站值班长,请讲。”春运期间,站长热线接到旅客咨询的数量激增,任淑青已习惯了这句频繁又简短的问候。
“你好,我等会儿乘坐D942次列车,我的亲属是视障人士,你们可以帮他提前进站吗?”电话里的旅客如是咨询。
对此,任淑青说:“可以的,您来火车站后可以再拨打这个站长热线,您亲属是重点旅客,我们送他进站乘车。”
途经铁路宁波站的D942次列车,开行时间是4时29分。接到电话后,任淑青如往常一样,将旅客的乘车信息详细记录在纸上,并设置好闹钟,做好接送重点旅客的准备。
作为铁路宁波站服务和接待旅客的“窗口”,站长热线自2022年6月启用后,已受理旅客来电600多件,其中咨询类300多件、现场帮扶类150多件。
拨通站长热线的旅客来自五湖四海。
从8时到第二天8时,任淑青和其他两位轮班的值班站长一到岗工作,就是24小时“在线”。
任淑青的“小身材”里装满了“大能量”,身上像是有使不完的劲儿。
站长热线和对讲机此起彼伏地响着,任淑青跟随着旅客和同事们的“呼唤”,奔波在铁路宁波站的各个角落:进站口、检票口、站台、服务台……
任淑青接收对讲机信息。 铁路宁波站供图在任淑青眼里,所有铁路工作人员在春运期间的坚守,就是为了让旅客开心平安地回家过年。
“对我们铁路工作者而言,春节不能回家已是常态。但看着每一位带着爱意回家的旅客们能够过一个平安幸福的好年,我就很高兴。”任淑青笑着说。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |