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.
天气对春运回乡有哪些影响?国家气候中心回应****** 中新网1月9日电 国家气候中心副主任方翔9日表示,今年春运的开始阶段恰逢三九、四九,这段时间在民间又往往被认为是一年当中最寒冷的阶段。预计2023年春运期间(1月7日至2月15日)我国北方大部及华南等地气温较常年同期偏低、全国降水整体偏少,东北等地偏多。 资料图:1月7日,山西省太原市,民众在太原站候车大厅排队检票乘车。当日,2023年春运正式拉开帷幕。 中新社记者 韦亮 摄中国气象局9日召开新闻发布会。会上有记者提问:2023年春运开始了,请问天气对于春运回乡会有怎样的影响?那些地区哪些时段需重点注意? 方翔指出,2023年春运从1月7日开始,2月15日结束,共计40天。今年春运的开始阶段恰逢三九、四九,这段时间在民间又往往被认为是一年当中最寒冷的阶段。预计2023年春运期间(1月7日至2月15日)我国北方大部及华南等地气温较常年同期偏低、全国降水整体偏少,东北等地偏多。 根据预报,1月9-20日,我国中东部大部地区气温将先升后降,气温起伏明显。12日前,中东部大部地区气温显著回升,华北及南方大部地区气温将偏高6℃以上,部分地区的日最高气温将可能达到或突破1月中旬日最高气温记录;之后,受11-15日强冷空气影响,我国大部地区气温将由前期偏高转为偏低1~2℃,部分地区偏低3~4℃,并有大范围的雨雪和大风降温天气。16-20日,无明显强冷空气影响我国,中东部地区降水趋于减弱结束,气温将逐步回升,预计18-20日中东部大部地区气温将回升至常年同期或略偏高。 要重点关注的是:1月11-15日强冷空气将自西向东、自北向南影响我国大部地区,并将带来大范围的雨雪和大风降温天气。 这次强冷气影响具有降温幅度大、雨雪范围广和降水相态复杂等特点,并且长江中下游北地区将有4~5级、阵风6~8级偏北风,我国大部海域也将有6~8级,阵风9~10级大风。 降温幅度大:11-12日,新疆、甘肃、青海降温幅度可达6~12℃,新疆北部降温超过14℃;12日夜间至15日,中东部大部地区将出现6~12℃降温,内蒙古、东北地区、江淮、江南等地降温12~16℃,局地超过18℃。 雨雪范围广和降水相态复杂:11-12日,新疆大部有小到中雪,沿天山地区有大到暴雪,新增积雪1~3cm,部分地区5~8cm,局地可达10cm;11-15日,江淮南部、江南、华南等地有小到中雨,部分地区大雨,局地暴雨;陕西、华北、东北地区、西南地区东部、黄淮、江淮北部、江汉等地有小到中雨转小到中雪或雨夹雪,部分地区大雪,局地暴雪。 春运返乡及出行需注意:一是各地出行人员需做好防寒保暖工作;二是新疆、内蒙古、东北地区以及陕西、山西、河北等地将有降雪或雨夹雪,以及有强冷空气影响,出行需防范降雪、降温、道路湿滑和大风天气的不利影响;三是黄淮、西南地区东部以及长江中下游等地要防范雨转雨夹雪、低能见度和道路湿滑的不利影响,特别是在高海拔地区或山区驾车出行人员要注意防范雨雪冰冻和道路湿滑的不利影响;四是在江河湖面及沿海活动的朋友需注意大风天气的不利影响。 “预计,春节假日期间,还将有一次冷空气过程影响我国,但总体路径偏东。有关春节期间的具体天气预报,春节前中央气象台将举行专题天气会商,届时请大家及时关注。”方翔说。 此外,预计2月上半月,华中和西南地区东部气温偏低,需防范阶段性低温雨雪天气对春运造成的不利影响。 在冷空气间歇期,大气扩散条件差,京津冀、长三角等地需注意雾和霾等低能见度天气过程对陆路、航空、水路运输安全带来的不利影响。 “最后,针对影响春运的暴雪、寒潮大风、低温冰冻、大雾等灾害性天气,中央气象台将及时发布预报预警信息,也建议各位朋友出行时请及时收听收看当地的天气预报信息,防范不利天气的影响。总之,让我们共同努力做好今年春运期间的出行安全保障工作。”方翔表示。
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