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.
达沃斯论坛如常冬季开幕 冀望“在分裂的世界加强合作”******
中新社达沃斯1月17日电 (记者 德永健)因新冠肺炎疫情中断三年后,世界经济论坛年会(达沃斯论坛)17日如常在冬季开幕,在世界政治经济图景发生巨大变化之际,冀望“在分裂的世界加强合作”。
当地时间17日上午,世界经济论坛创始人兼执行主席施瓦布宣布论坛开幕。2020年新冠肺炎疫情暴发后,达沃斯论坛2021年在线上举行,2022年于5月举行,今年终于重回“正轨”,如常在达沃斯1月的隆冬时节举行。
面对当前地缘政治、能源、气候变化、粮食安全等多重危机,本届论坛以“在分裂的世界加强合作”为主题。据论坛公布的数据,除联合国秘书长古特雷斯、德国总理朔尔茨、韩国总统尹锡悦、欧盟委员会主席冯德莱恩等政要,论坛共吸引来自700家企业的1500余名总裁和高管参会,数量创历史新高。
在为期4天的会议中,论坛将聚焦能源、气候变化、投资、贸易和基础设施、前沿技术乃至地缘政治合作等一系列议题。施瓦布在论坛开幕前夕表示,受政治、经济、社会等多重因素影响,全球和国家间的分裂加剧;要想从根本上解决互信消退问题,需要加强政府和企业的合作,还要认识到“不可让任何人掉队”。
虽然如常在冬季开幕,参会企业数量创下新高,但日益严峻的民生问题令论坛气氛难言乐观。1月11日,世界经济论坛发布《2023年全球风险报告》,表示以风险的严重性排序,生活成本上升已成全球最严重的短期风险,其次为自然灾害和极端天气,地缘经济冲突位列第三。
在长期风险中,前三位均关乎气候,分别为减缓气候变化失败、适应气候变化失败、自然灾害和极端天气。本届达沃斯论坛开幕前后,适逢欧洲多地出现历史性暖冬,为此环保团体对达沃斯论坛的批评调门有所升高,尤其诟病参会人员“乘坐私人飞机来讨论气候变化”难以服众。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)