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.
推动党的二十大精神深入人心、落地生根******
作者:秦龙、李维光(天津市中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心天津师范大学基地)
基层宣讲是打通党的二十大精神学习宣传贯彻“最后一公里”的重要渠道,在推动党的二十大精神深入人心、落地生根上发挥着重要作用。切实做好党的二十大精神基层宣讲,重在及时总结实践中的好经验、好做法,在对象化、分众化、互动化相统一中增强宣讲的说服力、亲和力和针对性、有效性,推动党的二十大精神深入群众、深入人心。
以对象化宣讲提升亲切感、说服力、感染力。做好党的二十大精神基层宣讲,首先要解决好“讲给谁”的问题。一些地方增强受众意识,通过走进田间地头、厂矿车间、学校课堂,开展“零距离”“面对面”宣讲,回应基层党员干部群众所思所想、所需所盼,找准思想认识共同点、情感交流共鸣点、利益关系交汇点、化解矛盾切入点,让基层宣讲更具温度、更加解渴。一些地方注重在宣讲活动中把“书面语”转化为“大白话”,用接地气、冒热气的群众话语把党的二十大精神讲清楚、讲明白,用身边案例、可感数字不断增强基层宣讲的亲切感、说服力、感染力,让干部群众愿意听、听得懂、有收获,推动党的创新理论“飞入寻常百姓家”。
以分众化宣讲增强针对性、有效性、到达率。习近平总书记指出:“读者在哪里,受众在哪里,宣传报道的触角就要伸向哪里,宣传思想工作的着力点和落脚点就要放在哪里。”在实践中,一些地方积极探索分众化宣讲的有效路径。一方面,建强宣讲员队伍,发挥领导干部、理论工作者、行业先进模范等的各自优势,让合适的人宣讲合适的事、身边的人宣讲身边的事。另一方面,针对不同地域、不同行业、不同年龄受众需求,分层次、多维度、分阶段开展宣讲,做到“一把钥匙开一把锁”,因时因地因人制宜,“现实+虚拟”“固定+临时”“集中+分散”等方式并举,构建全方位、立体化基层宣讲体系,切实增强基层宣讲的针对性、有效性、到达率。
以互动化宣讲推动听得懂、能领会、可落实。习近平总书记强调:“要注意宣传群众、教育群众,用群众喜闻乐见、易于接受的方法开展工作,提高群众思想觉悟,让他们心热起来、行动起来。”一些地方着力推动构建网上网下同频共振、线上线下共同发声的大宣讲格局。在线下,同群众坐到一条板凳上交流交心,掌握基层干部群众感到困惑、迫切需要解决的问题,明确宣讲的侧重点和切入点,积极回应群众所想所盼。在线上,通过开设基层宣讲“微课堂”“公开课”,借助网络直播等形式,在有问有答、交流互动中增强宣讲活动的交互性和沉浸感,促进干部群众自觉把思想和行动统一到党的二十大精神上来,凝心聚力全面建设社会主义现代化国家。
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)