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.
美议员履历造假面临辞职呼声 议长强势护短:很多人这样****** 中新网1月12日电 综合报道,美国国会共和党众议员乔治•桑托斯履历造假丑闻不断发酵,不仅民主党议员要求对其展开调查,就连共和党内也有人要求其辞职,称其是“彻头彻尾的骗子”。美国三号人物、新当选的众议院议长麦卡锡终于打破沉默,强势回应这一党内丑闻,但他的态度却令人意想不到…… 资料图:桑托斯。“彻头彻尾的骗子!”“辞职!” 来自纽约州的众议员桑托斯近日深陷造假丑闻,他已经承认捏造了教育背景、工作经历等关键细节。桑托斯却认为,“美化”简历并不会影响他当好国会众议员。 但是,国会众议院不少议员都对其表达了不满,有民主党人摩拳擦掌要对其展开调查,甚至他的共和党同僚也呼吁他辞职。 10日,两名民主党议员向众院道德委员会递交了一份针对他的道德投诉,称其未能及时、准确、完整地提交财务披露报告,敦促委员会对此展开调查。 11日,纽约州纳苏县的共和党主席开罗在与其他共和党官员举行的新闻发布会上说:“乔治·桑托斯去年的竞选活动充满了欺骗、谎言和捏造。” 开罗指责桑托斯让众议院蒙羞,并明确表示,共和党总部不欢迎这位新任国会议员。他表示:“我们不认为他属于国会。” 开罗提及了桑托斯的各种虚假声明,包括他此前声称拥有犹太血统。开罗还告诉记者,桑托斯呈给当地共和党一份假简历,其中也充斥着谎言,包括说他是巴鲁克学院的排球队“明星”,率领他的球队获得了“联赛冠军”。 其他纽约共和党地方官员也加入了呼吁桑托斯下台的行列。纳苏县县长布莱克曼称他是一个“彻头彻尾的骗子”。 来自纽约州的国会共和党人德埃斯波西托毫不留情地提出:“桑托斯没有能力在众议院任职,他应该辞职。” 然而,在这场新闻发布会后,桑托斯明确告诉记者,他不会辞职。 资料图:麦卡锡。“很多人这样美化简历”“他有罪吗?” 共和党人麦卡锡刚经历多日僵局和长达15轮的投票,向党内反对者作出很大让步,才坐上众议院议长的位置。椅子还没捂热,桑托斯的丑闻就不断发酵,逼得他不得不站出来表态。 麦卡锡沉默了数日后终于在11日就此事发声,他的回应十分强势,但却有些“护短”,因为他拒绝向桑托斯施压迫使其辞职。 麦卡锡对记者说,“我努力遵守宪法办事。选民选他当议员。如果有顾虑,他必须通过道德委员会的审查,让他先走这个程序。”他还说道,“他将继续在众议院工作。” 据悉,国会议员一般只有在被定罪后才离任。麦卡锡说,“对他(桑托斯)的指控是什么?在今天的美国,在被证明有罪之前,那个人就是无辜的。”他还说:“如果有什么可以证明他(桑托斯)确实做错了事,那么,我们会在那个时候再处理。” 当被问及桑托斯承认自己简历造假时,麦卡锡却说:“众议院、参议院和其他地方的很多人都是这样做的。” 不过,麦卡锡也表示,桑托斯不会被分配到拨款委员会、筹款委员会、金融服务委员会以及能源和商务委员会等重要的委员会,但他并不排除桑托斯在其他委员会任职的可能性。
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