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.
(新时代新征程新伟业)探访“中国幸福村”江西进顺村:村民变股东 福利惠民生****** 中新网南昌11月27日电 题:探访“中国幸福村”江西进顺村:村民变股东 福利惠民生 记者 李韵涵 初冬时节,江西进顺小康家园在太阳的照耀下暖意浓浓,一座座花园式楼房错落有致,村内的老年大学不时有悠扬音乐声传来,中间的花园广场有人牵着宠物闲庭信步,也有孩童怡然自乐,一幅“乡村共富图”正在村内徐徐展开。 图为进顺村党委第一书记罗玉英向记者介绍进顺村的发展历史。 记者 刘占昆 摄很难想象,追溯到数十年前,“硬木扁担杉木桶,代代不离驼背种。一根扁担两只篮,有女莫嫁上窑湾。”是江西省南昌市青山湖区湖坊镇进顺村的真实写照,这里的村民曾经以卖菜为生,是当地有名的“菜农村”。 据进顺村党委第一书记罗玉英介绍,作为“城中村”的进顺村经历了“盘活资产打基础、以地换地拓空间、招商引资谋发展”三个发展阶段,村民也经历了从农民到职工、从职工到股东的身份转变。 图为进顺村党委书记、村委会主任罗来昌(左)与同事交谈工作。 记者 刘占昆 摄进顺村是江西第一个推行村集体产权制度改革的村庄,把村集体企业股份(收益权)100%量化到每一位村民,让村民人人是股东、年年有分红。2021年度,村民股份分红930多万元,每股分配率达11.5%,人均分红6700多元,户均分红20000多元。 经过不断改革与发展,进顺村先后荣获“中国十大名村”“中国十佳小康村”“中国幸福村”等二十多项国家级殊荣。2021年,全村固定资产20余亿元,实现总产值55.6亿,村集体纯收入5906余万元,村民年均收入35600元。 图为进顺村卫生所医生魏翠红(左)正在问诊就医的村民。 记者 刘占昆 摄“以前我们都以农业为主,生活比较苦。现在村集体经济发展起来了,我们也更想回村工作。”今年43岁的魏翠红是进顺村卫生所的医生,也是一名土生土长的进顺村村民。 “卫生所可以免费测量身高体重还有血压,还会定期组织给村民免费体检,进行各类健康知识普及宣讲。”魏翠红说,随着生活水平提高,村民的健康意识也逐步提高。此外,进顺村的村民如果患有重大疾病,村里也会给予一定的补贴。 图为进顺社区邻里中心门口的村民。 记者 刘占昆 摄魏翠红提到的“大病补贴”仅仅是进顺村内多种福利保障的其中之一。股份分红、老人长寿奖、升学奖学金、大病救助金、社会保险统筹……在有着“中国幸福村”之称的进顺村,20种福利涵盖医疗、教育、养老等各方面,“幸福”不仅仅是一个称号,更是一份份触手可及的福利。 图为进顺村老年大学内正在学习舞蹈的老年人。 记者 刘占昆 摄进顺村党委书记、村委会主任罗来昌告诉中新网记者,在各项福利政策的基础下,2021年进顺村又新增了退休村民补贴,全村416名退休村民每月可领800元退休补贴,2021年用于村民福利保障费用突破2000万元。 在2017年,进顺村就率先建立江西首个村级老年大学,发展至今,已颇具规模。在老年大学门口,摆放着今年秋季课程表,舞蹈、声乐、时装、瑜伽等课程将周一至周五排得满满当当。 图为航拍下的江西进顺小康家园,一座座花园式楼房错落有致。 记者 刘占昆 摄“这里环境很好,老师也很耐心,原来自己只能跳跳广场舞,现在来学习跳舞也很有成就感。”退休将近20年的胡群慕名而来,报了进顺老年大学的舞蹈班。她表示,在老年大学的生活十分充实,既能丰富退休生活,也能锻炼身体,还能为子女后代减轻负担。 “村里投资的工业园升级改造工作已经在进行了,未来还要开拓一些新的经济增长点,继续提高村民的福利待遇。”谈及进顺村未来的发展,罗来昌依旧信心满满。(完)
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