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.
库木孜琴声唱响新时代新疆故事****** 【新时代新征程新伟业】 光明日报记者 姚亚奇 李 慧 “库木孜琴声很悠扬,二十大精神来歌唱。认真学习贯彻好,踔厉奋发很自豪。两个确立要领悟,四个意识要增强……” 连日来,克州歌舞团的文艺作品《库木孜弹唱·礼赞二十大》,在新疆克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州唱响。 “地虽偏,心相连,心向党。”新疆克州歌舞团党支部书记杨花明说,当下,党的二十大精神学习宣传在克州如火如荼地开展,各族党员群众欢欣鼓舞,反复研读、学思悟践。克州歌舞团深入学习宣传贯彻党的二十大精神,用好红色资源,编创了一系列舞台艺术精品。 “从城市、乡村到牧区,从学前小朋友到耄耋牧民,全州人民把党的二十大精神口耳相传。作为文化宣传的‘玛纳斯奇’,我们要用接地气、有朝气、振人心的方式,通过悠扬的库木孜琴弹奏传唱党的二十大精神。”克州歌舞团的乐队演奏员买买提吐尔孙·马曼说。 买买提吐尔孙·马曼用心用情创作的《库木孜弹唱·礼赞二十大》和《我是党员我知道》,以各族人民群众喜闻乐见的方式,增加了大家对党的二十大精神的深入了解。演唱作品发布后,已有超50万人次“点赞”。 “我们今天的好日子,幸福甜蜜美滋滋,你要问我咋来滴,喝水不忘挖井人,幸福不忘带头人,党是咱的领路人,二十大报告暖人心……”玛纳斯奇艾山吐尔·库尔班那里创编了宣传党的二十大精神的歌曲《帕米尔欢庆二十大》和《党是咱们的领路人》。赴农牧区现场表演时,这两首充满柯尔克孜风情的歌曲,获得了阵阵掌声,掀起克州人民学习宣传贯彻党的二十大精神的高潮。 克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州,位于新疆西南部。这里是中国西极,是一个边境之州。在克州,16万多人口的柯尔克孜族,能歌善舞,热爱祖国、忠诚于党、坚守边境线。他们也是英雄玛纳斯的后裔。 “说起英雄史诗《玛纳斯》,我不由地想起今年习近平总书记考察新疆时,来到新疆维吾尔自治区博物馆,观看世界级非物质文化遗产柯尔克孜族英雄史诗《玛纳斯》说唱展示,并同非遗传承人及克州歌舞团演员亲切交谈。”杨花明说,“我们谨记总书记的谆谆教诲,立志要把世界级非物质文化遗产《玛纳斯》保护好、传承好、发扬好。” 不久前,歌舞剧《玛纳斯》在克州文化中心进行了带妆彩排,伴随着铿锵的鼓点、美妙的库木孜乐曲,演员们用灵动的肢体语言演绎了传唱千年的英雄史诗。 歌舞剧是对英雄史诗《玛纳斯》的艺术化创作,又以党的二十大精神为引领,发扬中华优秀传统文化,丰富了人民群众的精神世界。 克州歌舞团不仅精心排练了一台精彩绝伦的大型歌舞剧《玛纳斯》,还制定了一系列发展《玛纳斯》的文化工程——重点打造27个(含国家级、自治区级、自治州级)的非遗项目,培育50名玛纳斯奇传承人,打造玛纳斯歌剧院,启动成立克州玛纳斯协会…… 杨花明说:“歌舞剧《玛纳斯》将到全疆14个地州会演,再去全国各地巡演,进而走出国门、走向国际,把我们优秀的非物质文化遗产传播到全世界。” 在克州,各族人民守边护边、建设家园,作出了积极贡献,涌现出许多典型人物和故事,这些也成为克州歌舞团创作的素材。 目前,克州歌舞团正在创作《撸起袖子加油干》《边境线上的爱》《党徽大叔》《糖包子的故事》等舞台作品,讲述各族人民与援疆干部一起共同奋斗的感人故事;《红船精神》《星星之火》《追寻》《血,总是热的》等作品,则以筑牢中华民族共同体为主线,大力弘扬中华传统文化和革命故事。 “作为文艺工作者,我们感受到一种沉甸甸的历史使命感,一种舍我其谁的社会责任感。”杨花明表示,“今后,我们要创作出更多弘扬劳动精神、奋斗精神、奉献精神、创造精神、勤俭节约精神的高质量舞台艺术精品。” 《光明日报》( 2022年12月26日 03版) (文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |