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.
如何高质量建设涉台经济合作园区?福建省人大代表助解“成长的烦恼”******
(台海观澜)如何高质量建设涉台经济合作园区?福建省人大代表助解“成长的烦恼”
中新社福州1月14日电 (记者 龙敏)改革开放以来,福建先后设立台商投资区、台湾农民创业园等各种涉台经济合作园区,有效推进了闽台经贸交流合作。但目前,涉台经济合作园区频遇政策优势不明显、台资项目及人才数量少、引才环境还不够优化等“成长的烦恼”。
在正于福州举行的福建省十四届人大一次会议上,福建省省长赵龙表示,将高质量建设台商投资区、台湾农民创业园等涉台经济合作园区。与会人大代表也纷纷建言,加快推动涉台经济合作园区转型升级,提升闽台产业融合与经济交流承载力,助力福建加快建设台胞台企登陆的第一家园。
福建现有6个国家级台湾农民创业园,数量居大陆首位,已吸引天福集团、漳州钜宝生物等一批台企进驻。但是,这些台农创业园及台企在升级发展中也面临基础设施较薄弱、销售“水土不服”等现象。
福建省人大代表、漳平市市长李毓文接受中新社记者采访时指出,有着“大陆阿里山”之称的漳平国家级台湾农民创业园内,台农生产的永福高山茶品质佳,但因品牌营销不到位等原因,茶叶卖不动、品牌打不响、特色难彰显。
他建议,进一步支持国家级台湾农民创业园高质量发展,重点扶持产业发展、项目建设等,对引进台湾高层次人才给予倾斜支持;积极引导台农开拓市场,指导互联网平台协助销售永福高山茶等台农生产产品。
泉州台商投资区是福建省6个国家级台商投资区之一,已引进颐和医院、德润产业园等168家台企,总投资202亿元(人民币,下同),并引进132名台湾高层次人才。
福建省人大代表、泉州弘晟精密塑胶模具有限公司董事长郭炳森说,目前,泉州台商投资区存在财税、医疗器械和药品市场准入等政策“瓶颈”,全区规模以上台资企业仅6家,企业体量较小。
郭炳森建议,适当放宽市场准入条件,赋予更多惠台利民举措,鼓励和支持拓宽应通尽通新路径。
漳州古雷石化基地是国家发改委唯一确认的大陆台湾石化产业园区,截至目前已投产、在建、签约产业项目48个,总投资3226亿元。福建省人大代表、漳州市政协副主席戴鹏飞建议,要积极创造合作共赢的长效机制与新型合作模式,利用海峡论坛、两岸企业家峰会等平台,深化闽台石化产业对接合作,继续引进一批台湾补链项目、延伸项目、升级项目;用好《区域全面经济伙伴关系协定》(RCEP),抓住当前东南亚石化市场超景气周期,将产品销售出去。
平潭是大陆唯一对台综合实验区,致力于打造台湾同胞“第二生活圈”,具有独特的区位、通道、政策优势。福建省人大代表、福建医科大学党委书记陈晓春指出,平潭已实现对台主要港口客货航线全覆盖,进出平潭岛陆路物流双通道也已经形成,两岸人货往来、贸易通关便利;占地面积约100亩的平潭海峡医药健康产业园,为打造两岸中药材贸易集散地提供了载体。
陈晓春建议,在平潭设立两岸中医药标准分中心,探索两岸中医药标准互认互通;将平潭作为大陆对台中药材主要输出口岸,推进标准化、集约化、规模化运作;在平潭设立两岸乃至国际中医药论坛、产业交流大会,加强中医药交流合作。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)