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.
青海西宁:物流“春节不打烊”“税关怀”让包裹不“迟到”******
(新春走基层) 青海西宁:物流“春节不打烊”“税关怀”让包裹不“迟到”
中新网西宁1月18日电 题:青海西宁:物流“春节不打烊”“税关怀”让包裹不“迟到”
作者李隽杜亚萍
腊月二十七,清晨的第一缕阳光映照着高原大地的红灯龙门,折射出浓浓年味。
位于西宁市火车站附近的中国邮政西宁邮件处理中心一派繁忙,分拣机器正在高速旋转,工作人员将分拣好的包裹有序装车,再由配送小哥送达各个地方。
在堆积满柜的包裹中,快递小哥刘少华拿着手中的扫码机,熟练地挑拣、录入着上午需要派送的快递,再整整齐齐地放进快递三轮车里,这是他的工作日常。
“每天派送3次,一共派送200多件快递,也不觉得累,一天下来很充实。”刘少华说。谈到新年愿望,他说:“今年不回家过年了,打算在这边过个年,希望在2023年我可以通过自己的努力工作,让大家的每一件包裹都不‘迟到’。”
今年春节,中国邮政速递物流有限公司服务不“打烊”,工人们轮班工作,保障群众的便利生活。国家税务总局西宁市税务局也将落实好各项税费支持政策,为企业发展保驾护航。
“2022年,我们公司享受减税降费及各项税收优惠159.82万元,增值税留抵退税252.62万元,节省下来的资金我们可以用在设备更新、生产、人力成本等方面,使企业进一步做大做强,进一步提升为民服务的能力。”中国邮政西宁邮件处理中心业务主管董向军说。
位于湟中区的西宁海都中通速递服务公司派送中心同样繁忙。网管经理李炳青告诉记者,去年12月上旬是最艰难的,在“减员增件”的情况下,为数不多在岗的快递工人每天都要工作到凌晨。
图为税务干部为外卖小哥为送政策送祝福。 张晓昕 摄几年虽然已近年关,快递工人却比平时更加忙碌。为了让民众都能早日收到快递,西宁海都中通速递服务公司也推出“春节不打烊”服务,保障民众生活需要。为帮助企业及时享受税惠政策红利,西宁市税务局采取“全覆盖宣传、个性化辅导、网格化服务”相结合的方式,税务干部实地走访和“云端”连线并行,为纳税人宣传税惠政策,了解企业需求,辅导纳税人办理各类业务。
“税务部门服务很贴心,每逢新政策工作人员都会打电话通知、辅导,电子税务局办税也很方便,我们觉得特别有温度,2022年我们减免的17万元也将用于扩大经营规模,购买、维护设备,发放加班工资补贴等,帮助我们更好服务市民朋友。”西宁海都中通速递服务公司财务袁俊霞说。
在青海佑海网络科技有限公司,外卖小哥整装待发,做好接单准备。“平均每天接70到80单,早晨7点就开始上班了,直到晚上11点换班。”外卖小哥马明海告诉记者:“春节期间我们也是继续上班,为大家送去美味和便利,确保大家过个好年。”
自2019年以来,西宁税务在每年税收宣传月都会与美团配送签约开展“税收优惠政策美团为您配送”主题宣传活动,结合外卖小哥接触面广、投递灵活的特点和“送啥都快”的优势,让他们将税惠政策送到千家万户,这已成为西宁街头的靓丽风景。与此同时,税惠减免和便民服务也为加盟企业带去支持。
“2022年,我们公司享受各项税惠减免49万余元,这些钱在疫情防控期间不仅改善了我们的员工食宿,也给‘小哥’们买了防疫物资及药品,保障他们的健康,确保更好地为广大市民服务。”美团莫家街站点负责人阿龙说。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |