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.
意大利人萨拉：从“中国迷”到“中意你”****** (新春见闻)意大利人萨拉：从“中国迷”到“中意你” 中新社昆明2月3日电 题：意大利人萨拉：从“中国迷”到“中意你” 作者 罗婕 在中国生活了13年的萨拉(Zago Sara)，近日回到家乡意大利戈里齐亚与家人团聚。春节过后，她和阔别许久的朋友们到中餐馆聚会，向他们介绍“中意你”的新伙伴和他们在中国的故事。 两年前，萨拉与中国好友王心怡在云南昆明发起“中意你|Kunming-Italia”主题分享活动，成为新冠疫情期间两国民间文化交流的新窗口。 来中国前，萨拉已是一个“中国迷”。大学时，她开始学习中文，并爱上中国历史文化。2010年，她通过交换学习的机会来到中国，并决定留在昆明一家企业谋求发展。 “这里四通八达，自然环境优越，和我的家乡十分相似。”享受着“春城”生活，萨拉笑说，“云南是我想住一辈子的地方”。 如今，萨拉从事意中两国间的跨境贸易，成为中国意大利商会成员。她将自己的事业比作一座桥梁，“让两国企业了解彼此市场，创造更大的商业价值”。 中意同为文明古国。作为世界文化遗产最多的国家之一，意大利将手工艺视为国粹。萨拉对传统手工艺情有独钟，2018年，她决定在中国创业，推动意大利手工艺品进入中国市场。 “云南的古老手工艺也带给我巨大惊喜。”行走云南多年，萨拉收集大理扎染、丽江银胎掐丝珐琅器等一众极具民族特色的非遗工艺品，计划作为展品向意大利手工艺展会推介。“但当时受疫情影响，计划只得搁置。” 2021年，王心怡从意大利回到中国。王心怡是一名策展人，在意大利学习生活11年，从事两国间的文化、艺术交流推广。萨拉说，“我们看法一致，疫情能阻碍人员往来，但不能阻挡人文交流。” 于是，两人一拍即合，共同发起“中意你”活动，吸引对中意两国文化感兴趣的多国友人，一同感受文化碰撞，加深彼此了解，打破刻板印象。 “看见差异是相互理解的开始。”一次“中意你”的电影文化主题交流让王心怡印象深刻，“看完中国新派武侠的传承之作和充满‘意国风情’的经典影片，大家从美学呈现聊到电影所表现的价值观，对两国文化的认知更进一步”。 王心怡表示，“中意你”创办两年来，以电影文化、女性力量、饮食文化、旅游记忆等话题举办十余场活动，吸引数百位中意文化爱好者。 回到意大利后，萨拉萌生新想法——将“中意你”落地意大利。“我想重启计划，推广云南工艺品到意大利。相信不管是商品贸易还是人文交流，都将迎来新机遇。”萨拉说。 春节期间，意大利罗马、米兰、威尼斯等多个城市举办庆祝活动，盛大而热闹的场景让萨拉感受到，当地人对中国文化充满好奇和热情，“可以期待‘中意你’的种子在意大利萌发新芽”。(完) 天下彩票地图 |
