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.
专家提示:贵州疫情已达流行高峰并进入平台期,如何做好个人防护→******url:https://m.gmw.cn/2023-01/04/content_1303244036.htm,id:1303244036
1月4日,记者从省政府新闻办召开的贵州省新冠病毒感染疫情防控工作新闻发布会上获悉,现阶段贵州省疫情已达流行高峰,进入平台期,感染人数将会逐步下降。
“但即将到来的春运、春节,大量外出务工人员返乡,人员流动频繁,聚集活动增多,节假日聚集性疫情以及1月8日‘乙类乙管’后入境新冠病毒感染人员引发的疫情流行不容忽视,疫情形势依然复杂严峻,防控形势依旧不容乐观。”省疾控中心党委副书记、主任杨光红说。
为进一步削峰压峰,杨光红提示大家,在日常生产生活中,应遵守如下防疫规定:
一是符合接种条件的人群应做好新冠病毒疫苗接种。
二是强化“每个人都是自己健康的第一责任人”意识,加强个人防护,科学佩戴口罩,做好手卫生;外出时与他人保持安全距离,不去人群密集、通风不良的场所,尽量减少参加聚会、聚餐等聚集性活动。
三是做好自我健康监测,如出现发热、干咳、乏力、咽痛等症状,密切监测健康状况;出现症状加重时,及时去医疗机构就诊。同住人员感染时,其他人员应做好个人防护,加强症状监测。
四是保持生活规律和充足睡眠,注意咳嗽礼仪;做好居室、工作场所等区域通风换气和清洁消毒,物品保持干净整洁,及时清理垃圾。
此外,春节将至,杨光红也对群众日常生活中,以及春节返乡和春节期间的个人防护,做出了相应提示。
针对日常个人防护,杨光红表示,一是积极接种疫苗,科学佩戴口罩,勤洗手,注意咳嗽礼仪,少聚集。二是保持规律作息、锻炼身体、多喝水、健康饮食、良好心态等健康生活方式。三是居家和工作场所定时开窗通风。做好居室日常卫生。四是出差或旅行前,关注目的地疫情流行情况,做好出行计划。
针对春节返乡个人防护,一是有返乡计划人员,提前准备充足的口罩、免洗手消毒剂等防护物资。二是符合接种条件人群,尽快完成全程接种和加强免疫。三是返乡途中乘坐飞机、火车、地铁、公共汽车、空调大巴等交通工具时,要全程规范佩戴口罩,注意手卫生等个人防护。四是返乡后尽量减少聚餐聚会等人群聚集性活动。
针对走亲访友个人防护,一是应提前接种疫苗,科学佩戴口罩,勤洗手,注意咳嗽礼仪,少聚集。二是坚持科学佩戴口罩,勤洗手,保持安全社交距离、遵守咳嗽礼仪、不随地吐痰等常态化防控措施,即使“阳康”后,也要做好个人防护。三是老人、孩子、有慢性病和孕产妇等重点人群,应尽量不安排远行,减少外出走亲访友,尽量不参加多人聚会,避免前往人员密集场所。四是如果出现发热、咳嗽等症状,应居家,不外出,尽可能减少与家人接触,不接待亲友探访,不走亲访友。
“若感染者为未合并严重基础疾病的无症状感染者、轻型病例,采取居家自我照护。”针对感染者居家期间的相关注意事项,杨光红建议:
感染者居家期间,尽可能待在通风较好、相对独立的房间,减少与同住人员近距离接触,如条件允许使用单独的卫生间。避免与同住人员共用餐具、毛巾、床上用品等日常生活用品。
非必要不外出,避免前往人群密集的公共场所,不参加聚集性活动。如需外出,应全程佩戴口罩。
可根据相关指南合理使用对症治疗药物,做好自我健康监测,尤其老年人、慢性基础疾病患者、孕妇、儿童和伤残人士等特殊人群要密切关注自身健康状况,必要时及时就诊。陪护人员尽量固定,首选身体健康,完成全程疫苗接种及加强接种的人员。
做好居室台面、门把手、电灯开关等接触频繁部位及浴室、卫生间等共用区域的清洁和消毒。使用常规家用清洁产品并按说明使用,注意清洁剂和消毒剂的安全存放。
撰文摄影:贵州日报天眼新闻记者 周雅萌 岳端 周梓颜 陈祖嘉 旷光彪 陈豪
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)