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.

“迷彩绿”耕耘田野动力足******

　　本报讯陈建强、记者冯强报道：这几天，退役军人、广西梧州某农业养殖基地负责人蒋田忠春风满面——年终算账，采用该基地开发的“水稻+禾花鱼+螺”特色养殖模式的农户，亩产值由2600元增长到1.5万元。“党的二十大提出坚持农业农村优先发展和全面推进乡村振兴的要求。我要接续奋斗，探索拓宽农民增收致富渠道，为促进乡村振兴奉献一名老兵的力量。”身着迷彩服的蒋田忠踌躇满志地说。

　　去年以来，梧州市全面推进“党建引领·退役军人乡村振兴后备人才建设”行动，引导优秀退役军人秉承光荣传统，在乡村振兴的战场再建新功。越来越多的退役军人像蒋田忠一样，奋战在希望的田野。梧州市退役军人事务局领导介绍，去年结合村（社区）两委换届，他们先后选拔567名退役军人进入两委班子任职，其中105人村党组织书记和村（居）委会主任“一肩挑”，成为乡村振兴“排头兵”。“我会将部队的优良作风延续下去，尽己所能造福百姓、回馈社会！”退役军人吴龙走上苍梧县六堡镇不倚村党总支书记、村委会主任岗位后，想方设法帮助村里解决了幼儿托管难题，并带领乡亲们发展集体经济，当年村民人均收入增长约2600元。

　　梧州有种茶传统，茶产业发达。军地相关部门完善退役军人乡村振兴后备人才培养模式，加大茶树栽培等本土特色优势产业的技能培训力度，并鼓励退役军人进行学历提升，报考农业类高职院校，以及通过弹性学制、农学交替、送教下乡等教学培养方式接受职业高等教育。同时，他们还启动了退役军人后备人才五年培养计划，依托梧州职业学院每年举办一期培训班。目前首期培训的40名退役军人中，12人被纳入乡村振兴后备人才库，7人由组织部安排到乡镇、村委实习。

　　为进一步激发退役军人干事动力，梧州市军地还联合规定，每年年底由村（社区）党组织牵头，组织村（社区）两委成员、党员群众代表等，对退役军人乡村振兴后备人才履职情况进行测评。乡镇党委每年对后备人才履职情况进行集中考核，按照“优秀、称职、基本称职、不称职”等次评定考核结果。连续两年考核优秀的按照相关规定优先在换届中推荐入村两委、担任村党支部书记、村委会主任或专业产业技术技能岗位。

　　梧州军分区领导告诉记者，下一步他们将联合军地相关部门继续挖掘宣传梧州“最美退役军人”“最美拥军人物”等一系列体现新时代双拥先锋精神的先进典型，带动更多退役军人投身基层发展、服务乡村振兴。