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.
外商的中国春节:把“家”搬到县级市 开启事业新版图******
(新春走基层)外商的中国春节:把“家”搬到县级市 开启事业新版图
中新网宁波2月1日电(记者 林波)忙着租赁厂房,忙着采购设备,忙着洽谈订单……“忙碌”是德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫(Desislav Dimitrov Despodov)在中国的真实写照。这个春节,他把“家”从北京搬到浙江宁波余姚,在当地的中国—中东欧国际产业合作园开启了事业新版图。
“抓紧时间让落地项目运行起来,以便进一步把设备投入安装和运营。”德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫来自保加利亚索菲亚,是当地生物可降解材料项目的创始人。
2023年1月初,由保加利亚外商独资的项目——宁波保加华生物材料有限公司在余姚完成工商注册和银行开户,正式落地中国—中东欧国际产业合作园。
这是继匈牙利、波兰等国家之后,第四个在该园区落户的中东欧国家项目。
因为看好中国市场,2013年以来,他长期生活工作在中国。
“在北京已经居住了10年。”德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫表示,这10年来,他一直从事高分子材料聚合等方向的技术研发和产业布局,希望开拓中国市场,将产品销往全球。
这次落地中国—中东欧国际产业合作园的项目,正是其深耕10年的生物基可降解材料项目。
“项目刚落地就迎来中国重要的传统节日春节。”原本应该轻松悠闲的春节假期,德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫却过得十分忙碌,为了加快项目投产,他果断把“家”从北京搬到了余姚。
从中国首都搬到县级市,德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫直言有过犹豫和担心,“但园区的服务,让我对这个陌生的城市有了亲切感。”
“全程代办、全程接送、全程翻译等,让我看到了这座城市的贴心之处。”德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫解释说,为了帮助他找到合适的房子,工作人员还带他看了好几个小区,让他在两天内就找到了满意的房子入住。
虽是县级市,但在他眼中,仍充满了发展动力。
其实,在中国生活的这些年,德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫也去过很多城市,在他看来,留住项目,优质服务只是一个方面,还需要强有力的产业支撑和经济基础。
通过考察,他了解到余姚享有“中国塑料城”的美誉,拥有目前中国最大的集塑料原料销售、塑料信息发布等于一体的专业生产市场,这也为其项目发展打下了产业基础。
“在余姚研发生产生物基可降解新材料无疑是一个明智的选择。”新的一年,德西斯拉夫·迪米特罗夫·德斯波多夫希望他的产品可以更好地与余姚的塑料产业达成合作,实现共赢。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)