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.
2023年春节去哪里?“看展热”成为年俗新体验******
兔年春节将至,去博物馆看展览、过大年的氛围日渐浓郁,各大博物馆从生肖文化、家国情怀到家风文化,系统推出了富有中国气息的大展,全面展示节日里的民风民情。逛博物馆过大年已成为一种新年俗,传递着新的文明风尚。
搜狐文化为广大网友整理了一条富有年味儿的观展路线,一起在各大博物馆的重磅展览中过一个文化创意年:在河南博物院“十二生肖拜大年”体验展里寻找自己的“守护神”,在南京博物院“家国文物展”中追求幸福生活,在良渚博物院玉器大展中认知无处不在的玉文化的韵味,在广东省博物馆“年画里的中国”展和中国工艺美术馆的皮影中寻味中国年。
“十二生肖拜大年——癸卯新春生肖文化”主题特展
地点:河南博物院
时间:2023年1月中旬
十二生肖作为中华文化圈中普及率最高的传统文化符号,也是春节的吉祥物和传统年俗文化的象征。追溯生肖文化的源与流,不仅基于早期人类对动物的崇拜意识,更是赋予动物形象的神性色彩。兔年春节将至,全国各地都流行着与玉兔相关的神话传说、民俗典故,在剪纸、刺绣、年画中,亦可随处看到兔的形象。
“玉兔捣药”象征着健康长寿,“动如脱兔”比喻人类聪明敏捷,兔子的形象早已成为中国人眼里天降祥瑞的使者。在春节期间,河南博物院收藏的生肖动物精品文物和艺术品举办贺岁展览,这些精美的器物维系中华民族情感和文化纽带。透过这些珍贵的生肖文物,我们可以感知中华先民对生肖动物的审视、欣赏、理解、构思和幻想,领略古今人们对于五谷丰登、六畜兴旺的美好向往。
《家·国》文物展
地点:南京博物院
时间:2022年11月1日—2023年11月1日
春节将至,“家”成为万千中华儿女心之所向的归途目的地,家的概念不言而喻,饱满又坚实。同时,家国情怀在我国非物质文化遗产中薪火相传,是历代中华儿女不懈奋斗的精神养分和力量源泉,是中华民族屹立于世界民族之林的文化压舱石。
展览围绕“家”、“国”两个主题,南京博物院精选藏文物六十余件,将文物展和非物质文化遗产活态展结合,以家国情怀为核心、中华传统文化中的人文精神为主题,通过深挖并展示文物和非物质文化遗产中蕴含的家国情怀,围绕个人和国家、个人和家人、个人和朋友、个人和社会之间的关系,去阐释家国情怀的具体内涵。
“首善家风——2022中华家风文化主题展”
地点:中华世纪坛
时间:2022年12月20日—2023年2月5日
司马光告诫其子:“有德者皆由俭来也”;诸葛亮的《诫子书》讲明修身养性、立志学习和宁静淡泊。优良的家规、家训自古以来就是中华民族传统文化的重要组成部分,是每个家庭乃至每个家族代代相传、生生不息的精神支柱。中华家风文化主题展以“首善家风”为核心,围绕传承首都家风,涵养文明新风的主题,展现新时代家庭文明建设的珍贵意义。
中华世纪坛将传统文化作为重要的板块内容,以年度中华家风文化主题展的形式,持续多视角地呈现中华民族特有家风文化的丰富内涵。通过策划一系列综合类主题、研究类专题的展览与活动,集合近现代各个时期、不同区域的家教题材和家风范本,梳理家庭——家教——家风的内在脉络,借助展览多样的表现形式、空间陈列、科技手段使其“鲜活”起来,“立体”起来,发掘探索传统文化美德教育的当代形式,探寻其对中华文明传承与发展的深远影响。
“郁郁乎文哉”:西周晋国玉器精品展
地点:良渚博物院
时间:2022年12月6日—2023日3月15日
从乌苏里江畔小南山的粗朴玉玦,到环太湖流域良渚的崇高神人兽面,以及汉墓里华贵肃穆的金缕玉衣,清宫中繁复精绝的文玩旧藏,玉文化在中华大地已至少绵延不绝九千年。周公制礼作乐,以礼维系社会有序和谐,礼乐文化中玉也具有不可取代的地位,象征礼节、吉祥、地位。
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)