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.
书写为民满分答卷******
树高千尺不忘根。党员干部要把“根须”向下扎根,把脚步向前迈进,不忘为民使命,扛起时代责任,切实做到勤于奉献、担当作为,以“真抓实干”的奋进姿态实现人民群众的向往,当好人民群众的“孺子牛”,书写为民满分答卷。
信念如磐,迈好“为民步伐”。党员干部要以担当作为扛起岗位职责,以全力以赴践行为民使命,用实际行动将“为民初心”深情诠释,用不懈拼搏之姿奏响奋斗“最强音”,始终保持和人民群众方向相同、步调一致,将为民情怀融入实践、化为行动,以务实作风护航人民事业,和人民群众“同轴共转”。党员干部要以人民满不满意、高不高兴反观干事创业的成效,俯身倾听群众的声音,以民声为“向”全面察民情,以民声为“镜”多照自己的“公仆之姿”、多看自己的“一言一行”,始终站稳人民立场,以奋发向前之姿迈好“为民步伐”,为群众遮挡风霜雨雪,为群众送去心头暖流,竭诚书写人民满意的时代答卷。
砥砺前行,磨砺“担当之肩”。党员干部要自觉把热忱之心转化为担当之行,爱岗敬业、苦干实拼,在为民实践中善解难题、勇创佳绩,明确工作重点、完成工作任务,以会干事、干成事的奋斗姿态推动民生事业再上新台阶。“大道至简,实干为要。”党员干部要心怀民生、脚沾泥土,以求真务实的态度开展调研,用双脚去丈量基层的山水,多走田间地头、厂房车间,做勤快的“泥腿子”,做群众的“自家人”,把民情民意的“第一手资料”收集好。要以“踏石留印,抓铁有痕”的作风做坚守岗位、勤勉干事的“螺丝钉”,激发干事热情,办好为民实事。
上下求索,永葆“进取之心”。党员干部要多到实践“大熔炉”里经受淬炼,多磨多练多沉淀,以无私的坚守、无我的境界为民奋斗,时刻都不忘“我是谁”的公仆身份和“为了谁”的使命责任,以“上下求索”的进取之心跨越沟坎、穿过风雨,将工作落实到位,将问题解决到底,以“咬定青山不放松”的韧劲干事成事,以“一张蓝图绘到底”的决心办好就业、教育、医疗等群众密切关注的民心工程。党员干部要以孔繁森、廖俊波和黄文秀等时代榜样为人生奋斗路上的闪耀标杆,聚焦“人民所盼”以“我必行之”的姿态去奋斗,以“越是艰险越向前”的豪情壮志赢得新征程上的新胜利。(李庆)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)