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.
国际舆论聚焦二十大:从新表述新理念解读中国未来发展******
(中共二十大·声音)国际舆论聚焦二十大:从新表述新理念解读中国未来发展
中新社北京10月21日电 中共二十大报告提出了一系列新表述、新理念,国际舆论对此高度关注,从报告规划的新蓝图解读中国未来发展路径。
新理念规划新未来
新加坡《联合早报》评论文章指出,二十大报告有不少新提法,包括10年来中国经历的三件大事、中心任务、“三个务必”、全过程人民民主等,同时正式提出了中国式现代化的概念。
哈萨克斯坦《实业报》总编辑谢里克·科尔茹姆巴耶夫关注到二十大报告中的新理念、新规划。他在接受中新社记者采访时表示,报告将以中国式现代化全面推进下一步发展目标和任务,相信中国将继续朝着这个目标奋进。
《巴基斯坦观察家报》认为,报告承诺中国将贯彻新发展理念,推动绿色发展与高质量发展。中国加快新能源体系建设,在应对气候变化和全球治理中发挥积极作用。
创新提振科技 “反腐”守护底色
彭博社注意到,报告关注了科技方面问题,强调以国家战略需求为导向,集聚力量进行原创性引领性科技攻关,坚决打赢关键核心技术攻坚战。
彭博社援引美国政治风险咨询公司欧亚集团分析师尼尔·托马斯(Neil Thomas)的评论称,报告对科技的关注反映出,创新已成为中国解决经济问题及摆脱对外国技术依赖的重要方案。
俄罗斯国际事务委员会总干事安德烈·科尔图诺夫接受塔斯社采访时说,中共在反腐倡廉方面大破大立,树立了同腐败行为斗争到底的正面形象,受到人民群众的欢迎和拥护。
厄瓜多尔Pressenza国际通讯社报道称,中共二十大报告呼吁对腐败、官僚主义和形式主义进行坚持不懈的斗争。
聚焦和平合作 传播中华文化
古巴拉美社关注到报告中涉及全球合作的内容,称在和平、安全、发展和全球治理面临前所未有的挑战之际,中国批评了霸权主义和暴力行为。该报道指出,二十大报告强调中国坚定奉行独立自主的和平外交政策,始终根据事情本身的是非曲直决定自己的立场和政策,维护国际关系基本准则,维护国际公平正义。
《日本经济新闻》刊文称,报告提到中国旗帜鲜明反对一切霸权主义和强权政治,毫不动摇反对任何单边主义、保护主义。
俄罗斯卫星通讯社关注报告中关于中华文明传播力影响力及中华文化传播的内容。报道称,报告强调要坚持中国特色社会主义文化发展道路,讲好中国故事、传播好中国声音,展现可信、可爱、可敬的中国形象,推动中华文化更好走向世界。(完)
(参与作者:肖玉笛、张焕迪、田冰、张硕)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)