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.
青海年·醉海东：百龙千狮闹新春，河湟传统社火集中展演****** 中新网青海海东2月2日电 (记者 张添福)2月2日，农历正月十二，青海省海东市举行“百龙千狮闹新春”暨河湟传统社火集中展演。 威风锣鼓、灯官赐福、舞龙、舞狮、高跷、亭子、秧歌、安召舞、丑角“瓜娃子”……当日，记者在现场看到，青海省海东市六县区选送的社火，尽显当地传统社火的家底和精髓。  图为舞狮。 张添福 摄河湟文化是黄河文化的重要组成部分，其内涵具有地域文化的独特性、历史文化的厚重性、民族文化的融合性、民间文化的多元性、生态文化的立体性。黄河及其支流湟水河流经海东市，该市是河湟文化的发祥地、核心区和承载区。  图为抬轿表演。 张添福 摄“举办‘百龙千狮闹新春’暨河湟传统社火集中展演活动，旨在以社火这一氛围浓厚、特色鲜明，且在河湟谷地独具影响力的春节传统喜庆活动，充分展现独特的河湟历史记忆和文化魅力。”海东市副市长王青沛说。  图为传统社火中的丑角。 张添福 摄本次展演，该市六县区选送的百龙、千狮表演，自是主角。按当地传统，春节期间舞龙、舞狮，以求得风调雨顺、五谷丰登。  图为传统社火中的丑角。 张添福 摄来自海东市乐都区高约一层楼的高跷和亭子(也称高台、铁芯子)表演，堪称“高空艺术奇葩”，令人叫绝，其尽显河湟传统社火的高空技艺之最、传统艺术之美。  图为传统社火表演。 张添福 摄所谓亭子，其下有台板支撑，台板上是特制的两三米高的细长木杆或铁杆，将装扮传统戏剧人物的孩童，绑在以刺绣、剪纸等伪饰的高台上，形成高、悬、妙、奇特点，来讲述传统戏剧故事。 其中，来自青海省海东市乐都区高庙镇老鸦社火总队的亭子，因刺绣、剪纸等艳丽、精致而著称。  图为传统社火中的高跷。 张添福 摄“我们每架亭子中，演员都是三四岁的小孩。将他们绑在亭子上，扮上相应角色，演绎传统历史典故、展现传统人物。”老鸦社火总队亭子组的负责人余长元说。  图为传统社火中的亭子。 张添福 摄来自当地的吴睿涵今年4岁，第一次参加亭子表演。吴睿涵的母亲在亭子下面尽心呵护，“过年了，我们也想让孩子体验一下这项传统文化项目。” 据悉，本次展演系“青海年·醉海东”系列活动的组成部分。王青沛表示，当地春节期间举办的“青海年·醉海东”系列活动，将进一步增强河湟文化生命力、传播力、影响力，让新时代河湟文化焕发新机。(完)
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