中新网评：美国众议长选举“连续剧”暴露美式民主痼疾******
中新网北京1月9日电(蒋鲤)在15轮投票表决后，美国众议院议长选举这场“连续剧”终于落下帷幕，众议院共和党领袖凯文•麦卡锡最终成功当选第55任美国众议院议长。这是美国国会过去164年来耗时最久的一次议长选举记录，将美国“对抗式民主”的弊端暴露无遗。
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.
【我们这十年@坐标中国】中国速度，让奇迹不断发生******
中新网北京10月12日电题：中国速度，让奇迹不断发生 记者 李金磊 有一种速度叫中国速度，有一种效率是中国效率。这十年，中国速度一次次惊艳世界。 时速600公里的高速磁浮交通系统，使2000公里范围4小时通达，中国人的出行是贴地飞行、御风而行。 眼睛一闭一睁，9小时改造一座火车站，8小时拆完589米立交桥，“基建狂魔”让不可能变为可能，让世界首富埃隆•马斯克也伸出大拇指点赞。 …… 如果要列举中国速度的“名场面”，可谓俯拾即是。中国速度展现了中国经济社会发展的日新月异，展现了综合国力和民族自信的与日俱增。 中国速度，是中国大力推动创新的生动写照。 这十年，中国持续实施创新驱动发展战略，科技实力显著增强，创新能力迈上新台阶，科技引领力不断增强，工艺工装持续创新，让中国速度不断提速、提速再提速。 从时速400公里的高铁，跨越到时速600公里的高速磁浮，这背后是加速能力、制动能力、抗噪能力等控制策略创新设计的支撑。没有自主创新，就突破不了限制和瓶颈，实现不了中国速度的跃升。 被誉为“煤海蛟龙”的掘支运一体化快速掘进系统，依靠科技创新“挖”出了世界纪录，实现了中国巷道掘进技术与装备从“跟跑”到“并跑”再到 “领跑”的转变。没有自主创新，就难以保障中国能源安全。 中国速度，是中国人民携手奋进的鲜明例证。 中国速度为什么能这么快？这离不开中国人民的辛勤付出和奋勇拼搏。 在东南沿海，“基建狂魔”集结两万多名建设者，建成55千米长的港珠澳大桥，世界最长的跨海大桥才得以横空出世。 面对589米要拆除的立交桥，央企的建设者们派出了200余台挖掘机同时作业，在桥两侧一字排开的挖掘机伸出长臂，就如一只只蚂蚁，努力啃食钢筋水泥，一夜之间就让这个庞然大物消失。 不疯魔不成活。正是有赖于无数建设者、劳动者夜以继日、兢兢业业的付出，才能成就中国速度。正是亿万人民的奋勇拼搏，汇聚出磅礴的中国力量，才能让世界为中国速度叹服。 中国速度，是中国制度优越性的形象印证。 中国速度，也充分彰显了中国特色社会主义制度集中力量办大事的显著优势。 面对新冠肺炎疫情，中国展现出非凡的组织动员能力、统筹协调能力、贯彻执行能力，仅仅用10天就建成了火神山医院，12天建成了雷神山医院。 一方有难，八方支援。面对自然灾害，在高效的组织下，中国会用最快的救援速度来最大限度保护人民群众生命财产安全。 “乘风好去，长空万里，直下看山河。”中国速度的背后，是一个不断创新、奋进的中国。在大国建设者一往无前的努力下，中国速度将继续创造一个又一个新的奇迹。(完)
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