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.
2022年全国查处违反中央八项规定精神问题95376起****** 1月16日,中央纪委国家监委公布了2022年12月全国查处违反中央八项规定精神问题汇总情况。当月,全国共查处违反中央八项规定精神问题11112起,批评教育帮助和处理16122人,其中党纪政务处分11569人,这是连续第112个月公布月报数据。 图片来源:中央纪委国家监委网站数据显示,2022年,全国共查处违反中央八项规定精神问题95376起,批评教育帮助和处理141348人,其中党纪政务处分96756人。 从查处问题类型看,在履职尽责、服务经济社会发展和生态环境保护方面不担当、不作为、乱作为、假作为,严重影响高质量发展方面,2022年共查处问题37567起,占查处的形式主义、官僚主义问题总数的83.9%。查处的违规收送名贵特产和礼品礼金、违规吃喝、违规发放津补贴或福利3类问题,分别占享乐主义、奢靡之风问题的38.6%、21.0%、18.5%。 从查处级别看,2022年,全国共查处省部级领导干部违反中央八项规定精神问题10起,地厅级领导干部问题503起,查处县处级领导干部问题6849起,查处乡科级及以下干部问题88014起。其中,乡科级及以下干部问题占查处问题总数的92.3%。 二十届中央纪委二次全会强调,持续深化落实中央八项规定精神、纠治“四风”。各级纪检监察机关要严肃整治损害党的形象、群众反映强烈的享乐主义、奢靡之风,对顶风违纪行为露头就打、从严查处,坚决防反弹回潮、防隐形变异、防疲劳厌战。要重点纠治形式主义、官僚主义,深挖根源、找准症结,精准纠治、增强实效。春节将至,各级纪检监察机关要紧盯节点和薄弱环节加强监督检查,强化节前教育提醒,确保党员干部风清气正过节。(中央纪委国家监委网站 陆丽环) 驰而不息纠治“舌尖上的浪费” 近年来,习近平总书记多次对制止餐饮浪费作出重要指示批示。二十届中央纪委二次全会对纠治“舌尖上的浪费”作出部署。踏上新征程,要牢记“三个务必”,把纠治餐饮浪费问题摆在更加突出位置,常抓不懈、综合施策,以优良党风引领社风民风,推动全社会形成厉行节约、反对浪费的良好风尚。 餐饮浪费看似小事、实关大局,必须在思想上高度重视、行动上一抓到底。“一粥一饭当思来之不易,半丝半缕恒念物力维艰。”餐饮问题不只是个人消费行为,更关系国家粮食安全大局。餐饮环节的粮食浪费不容小觑,在我国粮食需求刚性增长、资源环境约束趋紧的态势下,制止餐饮浪费增加了“无形良田”,是保障国家粮食安全的有力举措。餐饮风气还是一个政党、一个社会风气状况的直接体现,如果任由浪费之风滋生蔓延,将严重损害党的形象、败坏社会风气,必须坚决纠治餐饮浪费问题,把中华民族勤俭节约的传统美德和党的优良作风传承下去、发扬光大。“洪范八政,食为政首”。要站在党和国家工作大局中认识和把握纠治餐饮浪费问题,将其作为深入落实中央八项规定精神的重要内容,坚决抓下去,让节俭用餐在全社会蔚然成风。 纠治餐饮浪费,必须坚持问题导向,贯通发力消除薄弱环节。在各地区各部门的持续努力下,公款大吃大喝、挥霍浪费问题得到有力遏制,全社会浪费可耻、节约光荣的良好氛围不断浓厚,纠治工作取得积极成效。但还存在一些突出问题,部分党员干部厉行节约的思想根基不牢固、行为惯性没有彻底扭转,公务活动用餐超标准、虚列开支套取公款大吃大喝等问题时有发生,商务接待、婚丧嫁娶宴请等方面餐饮浪费现象较为突出,一些地方、部门纠治餐饮浪费搞“一阵风”,监管执法工作还需加强。对此必须保持清醒和坚定,加大工作力度,密切纪检监察机关与职能部门的协作,合力纠治餐饮浪费问题。要紧盯党员干部、公职人员,紧盯公务活动用餐、党政机关和国有企事业单位食堂用餐,加强监督检查,严肃纠治公款餐饮浪费问题,形成有力震慑。要以强监督促强监管,推动职能部门各尽其责、严管所辖,不断完善政策工具箱,创新监管手段,加大执法和曝光力度,深入治理餐饮浪费问题。 纠治餐饮浪费问题绝非一时之功,必须纠树并举、久久为功。在解决突出问题的同时,要注重从思想根源、制度机制上发力破解,抓出习惯、化风成俗。要大力弘扬勤俭节约之风。从党员干部抓起,强化党性党风党纪教育,推动模范践行“光盘行动”,无论在公务活动用餐,还是在操办婚丧喜庆、日常聚餐、个人消费中,都做到自觉反对浪费,持续涵养节约习惯。立足职责移风易俗,推动文明餐饮理念进餐厅、进社区、进单位、进校园、进家庭,大力破除讲排场、比阔气、爱面子等不良风气,让节俭用餐成为全社会的共识和行动。要健全反对餐饮浪费的长效机制。推动各地区各部门从实际出发,把纠治公款餐饮浪费的要求进一步体现到公务接待、招商引资招待、国有企业商务接待、单位食堂用餐等制度中,明确细化有关规定。推动完善餐饮行业反浪费的政策规定、标准体系、奖惩机制等,为市场主体执行、监管部门执法提供操作性强的政策依据,不断把制度成果转化为治理效能。 春节是团圆聚会的重要节日,也是餐饮浪费容易滋生的节点。佳节将至,要采取有针对性的措施纠治餐饮浪费问题,推动各级领导干部带头厉行节约,带动全社会力戒铺张浪费,努力营造良好氛围,让节日的烟火气中充盈文明节俭之风。(纪锋)
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