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.
新春旅游精彩开启******
2023新年钟声敲响,包含元旦、春节的新春旅游市场已精彩开启。文化和旅游部将组织开展“打卡旅游休闲打开欢乐春节”2023新春旅游推广活动,推出具有冬季特色的休闲体验项目,开展丰富多彩的旅游休闲和民俗活动,“旅游迎春、休闲过年”将成为美好生活的生动体现。
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2022北京市冰雪文化旅游季推出近60项活动,点燃了市民冰雪旅游热情。颐和园、北海公园、陶然亭等也纷纷开展冰雪游园活动,让市民游客尽情享受冰上运动的乐趣。
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新春旅游散发着浓厚的传统文化气息。北京雍和宫、杭州灵隐寺、无锡灵山胜境风景区、苏州寒山寺、南京夫子庙、西宁塔尔寺等祈福类景点,黄山、终南山、衡山、老君山等登高迎新景区迎来众多体验新年活动的游客。民俗体验带热传统文化,跨年仪式感渐成新风尚。元旦期间,充满欢乐祥和迎新氛围的跨年活动受到年轻人喜爱,各地灯光秀、烟花、跨年敲钟等文化体验活动广受欢迎。
春节、元宵节是中华民族重要的传统节日,也是国家级非遗代表性项目,与春节、元宵节相关的年画、剪纸、灯会、庙会等国家级非遗代表性项目有200多项。春节也是各地广泛开展非遗传承实践等活动的重要时间节点。
文旅部支持与春节相关的各级非遗代表性项目全面开展非遗相关活动。剪纸、木版年画、灯彩、彩扎等与年节装点相关的非遗项目将着力营造浓厚的节日氛围;舞龙、舞狮、灯会、庙会等群体性强的非遗项目将不断扩大群众参与度;传统工艺类非遗项目加大传统工艺产品供给,为人民提供丰富的节庆文化产品。支持港澳同胞、台湾同胞及广大侨胞返乡省亲、祭祖、团拜,参加各种形式的节俗和非遗传承体验活动。
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冬日燕赵大地银装素裹,到乡村过民俗年、戏冰雪、泡温泉、游古城、赏冰灯、打树花、赶大集、温室赏花采摘,尝农家特色美食,品味别样乡愁,成为人们的最爱。日前,河北省推出平山县红色冬季农业游、北戴河农科体验冰雪休闲游等30条“冬农趣”系列休闲农业与乡村旅游线路,邀游客品乡村年味。
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近年来,文化和旅游部培育了一批生态美、生产美、生活美的乡村旅游目的地,6000多个省级、1597个国家级乡村旅游重点村镇和世界“最佳旅游乡村”组合在一起,中国乡村旅游发展的格局已经形成,基础设施不断完善,服务质量不断提升。乡村旅游日益成为人民美好生活的新供给和全面推进乡村振兴的新力量。(赵 珊)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)