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.
湖南茶陵用“三把尺”标注教育新坐标******
本报讯(通讯员付婷)日前,一群一年级的孩子戴着自己亲手设计制作的拼音头饰,手拿闯关卡,胸有成竹地依次挑战“字母跳跳屋”等三个关卡,通关后可以得到“拼音小能手”的称号。这是湖南省茶陵县解放学校开展“奇妙拼音闯关之旅”的一幕,也是该校践行基础素养达标创意活动之一。在茶陵县,像解放学校一样,各学校都在创新推动“双减”落实过程中,立足“五育”并举,蓄能学生终身发展。
近年来,茶陵县坚持优先发展教育,以人民满意为总标尺,从锚定中心点、延伸正方向、描绘新刻度等方面以新谋进,用新举措不断增强人民教育幸福感。
握紧“基础尺”,锚定教育公平的中心点。为统筹城乡教育资源均衡配置,近年来,茶陵县为义务教育薄弱环节改善与能力提升及城区学位建设投入3870万元。投入2600余万元,改造县域内乡村学校“五小”项目近100个,农村学校的校容校貌焕然一新。茶陵县还建立乡镇教研基地,教研室通过送教、指导,让其能发挥辐射效应。教师们通过参与各类教研活动,专业能力得到快速提升。
“双减”实施以来,茶陵“五育”并举释放新活力。不少家长表示,孩子的笑声更爽朗了。虎踞中学为留守儿童组建“爱乐合唱团”,引进株洲市区艺术学校,联合为孤寡老人进行文艺演出,既满足了农村孩子的音乐梦、艺术梦,又走出校门进行了德育实践。茶陵县握住“创新尺”,鼓励学校创新课后服务,结合办学特色和实际,开展剪纸、泥塑艺术等社团活动,引领学生感受中国优秀传统文化,增强学生的文化自信。
握好“保护尺”,描绘关爱成长的新刻度。2021年9月至今,茶陵县教育局联合公安局、文旅广体局等部门组建“夜鹰”巡防队,深入县城及周边学校的重点场所开展巡防,优化校园周边环境,有效预防和遏制了未成年人违法犯罪,提升了社会对教育的满意度。
“全力推动国家教育方针、政策落地见效,要以智慧与力量担起时代责任,以爱心与奉献诠释育人情怀。”该县教育局相关负责人表示,将继续主动作为,努力让群众收获更强的教育获得感、幸福感。
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)