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.
东西问 | 短评：疫情防控应续保希望与信心******
中新社北京12月1日电 题：疫情防控应续保希望与信心
作者 徐皇冠
入冬以来，中国国内本土疫情形势仍严峻复杂且出现新变化，在关键时期和吃劲阶段，更要理性认识，坚定信心，行稳致远。
十里崎岖半里平，一峰才送一峰迎。新冠疫情是对全人类的新挑战，人类必定要在摸索中寻找应对之策，此时学会运用辩证法缕析“变与不变”显得必要：既要抓住“不变”的七寸，以保持战略定力；又要牵好“变”的牛鼻子，因时因势持续优化完善防控政策，走小步不停步，坚持第九版防控方案，落实二十条优化措施，使具体实践科学、精准和有效。
资料图：图为市民有序排队进行核酸检测。马铭言 摄抗击疫情，病毒在变，中外的应对也在变。新冠病毒从原始毒株，到德尔塔、奥密克戎，特点从致死率高变为致病性减弱。与病毒抗争，中国从早期深壕硬寨打响保卫战到常态化防控，继而强调“精准科学”“以快制快”。有的国家则逐渐从严阵以待，转为主动或被动“放开”，在试图以此恢复正常经济社会秩序的同时，也付出沉痛代价。
疫情三年，人们的心境在变，直观对比外国的应对情况，也容易使人产生误解与误读。加之，抗疫中的突发个案影响人们的身心。如何在变幻纷扰中继续前行？必须重新聚焦“从何而来，往何处去”的问题，从全貌把握事物的总和，看到变化中的不变。
人们看到，抗击疫情三年，中国坚持人民至上、生命至上的初心没有变，行动没有变。中国始终以最大努力保护人民的生命安全和身体健康，始终为民众计、为根本计、为长远计。获得的成果，也有目共睹。
近三年来，从整体看，中国的新冠肺炎死亡病例、住院病例，远低于全球平均值，经济总体也延续恢复态势。这是人民至上、生命至上的生动体现，也是中国防疫政策科学性的真实写照。
资料图：“猎鹰号”硬气膜实验室在广州投入使用。郑佳玲 摄如果注意到中国“一老一小”群体数量庞大、国家人均医疗资源水平与发达国家还有差距等事实，再看中国共产党和政府对防疫科学性的追求和部署会更客观。11月30日，国务院副总理孙春兰在国家卫生健康委召开座谈会时指出，近三年来，防控措施因时因势优化完善，先后印发九版防控方案，出台二十条优化措施。要以人民为中心，稳中求进，持续优化防控政策，走小步不停步，不断完善诊断、检测、收治、隔离等措施，加强全人群特别是老年人免疫接种，加快治疗药物和医疗资源准备。八位专家在座谈会上发言，她充分肯定专家在防控中的重要贡献。
当然，言明中国疫情防控成果的客观性、政策的科学性，回应在新一轮疫情复杂态势下人民对美好生活愈发真切、迫切的向往，还有不少急难愁盼的问题需要解决，落细落实疫情防控，还有很多的事要办、路要走。
随着奥密克戎病毒致病性的减弱、疫苗接种的普及、防控经验的积累，中国疫情防控面临新形势新任务。不辞山路远，踏雪也相过。在统筹变与不变中理性认识，增强定力，以描“工笔画”的态度担负起防控责任，既不能“一放了之”，也要坚决防止“走样”和“加码”，共渡难关需要智慧和勇气，也呼唤信心与暖举。(完)
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