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.
开局之年,习近平总书记这样部署全面从严治党******
第一观察丨开局之年,习近平总书记这样部署全面从严治党
1月9日,习近平总书记在二十届中央纪委二次全会上发表重要讲话强调,一刻不停推进全面从严治党,保障党的二十大决策部署贯彻落实。
治国必先治党,党兴才能国强。
在2023年这一贯彻党的二十大精神的开局之年,习近平总书记的重要讲话为我们将全面从严治党这一党的长期战略、永恒课题进行到底指明了前进方向。
(一)时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定
习近平总书记在党的二十大报告中指出,我们党作为世界上最大的马克思主义执政党,要始终赢得人民拥护、巩固长期执政地位,必须时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定。
“保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定”——从中央政治局会议到中央政治局民主生活会,再到这次中央纪委全会,党的二十大后的多次重要会议上,这一表述频繁出现,成为新征程党推进自我革命的鲜明印记。
何谓“大党独有难题”?这次中央纪委全会上,习近平总书记以六个“如何”作出深入阐释——
如何始终不忘初心、牢记使命,如何始终统一思想、统一意志、统一行动,如何始终具备强大的执政能力和领导水平,如何始终保持干事创业精神状态,如何始终能够及时发现和解决自身存在的问题,如何始终保持风清气正的政治生态。
2018年1月,党的十九大后,在面向新进中央委员会的委员、候补委员和省部级主要领导干部的“开年第一课”上,习近平总书记就曾指出,我们党是世界上最大的政党,大就要有大的样子,同时大也有大的难处。
从“大的难处”到“大党独有难题”,习近平总书记的清醒和坚定始终不变。这次中央纪委全会上,习近平总书记深刻指出,解决这些难题,是实现新时代新征程党的使命任务必须迈过的一道坎,是全面从严治党适应新形势新要求必须啃下的硬骨头。
(二)健全全面从严治党体系
党的二十大报告首次提出“健全全面从严治党体系”,这是强化管党治党全面系统布局、协同高效推进的重大举措。
这次中央纪委全会上,习近平总书记指出,新时代十年,我们党不断深化对自我革命规律的认识,不断推进党的建设理论创新、实践创新、制度创新,初步构建起全面从严治党体系。
回顾新时代十年全面从严治党的伟大历程可以看到,从系统的理论指导,到完善的任务布局,再到健全的制度设计、配套的工作抓手,管党治党的“四梁八柱”日趋完善。放眼全世界,没有任何一个其他政党能像中国共产党这样从严管党治党,能像中国共产党这样拥有如此科学严密的全面从严治党体系。
如何进一步健全全面从严治党体系?习近平总书记以三个“更加突出”和四个“全”作出部署。
三个“更加突出”,就是坚持制度治党、依规治党,更加突出党的各方面建设有机衔接、联动集成、协同协调,更加突出体制机制的健全完善和法规制度的科学有效,更加突出运用治理的理念、系统的观念、辩证的思维管党治党建设党。
四个“全”,就是坚持内容上全涵盖、对象上全覆盖、责任上全链条、制度上全贯通,进一步健全全面从严治党体系,使全面从严治党各项工作更好体现时代性、把握规律性、富于创造性。
(三)坚定不移深入推进全面从严治党
2023年是贯彻党的二十大精神的开局之年,是实施“十四五”规划承前启后的关键一年,是为全面建设社会主义现代化国家奠定基础的重要一年。
意义非凡的一年,如何向着新的奋斗目标再出发,坚定不移深入推进全面从严治党?这次中央纪委全会上,习近平总书记作出细致部署——
谈政治监督,指出“要在具体化、精准化、常态化上下更大功夫”“要及时准确发现有令不行、有禁不止,做选择、搞变通、打折扣,不顾大局、搞部门和地方保护主义,照搬照抄、上下一般粗等突出问题”;
谈中央八项规定,指出“要继续纠治享乐主义、奢靡之风”“要把纠治形式主义、官僚主义摆在更加突出位置”;
谈纪律建设,指出“要把纪律建设摆在更加突出位置,党规制定、党纪教育、执纪监督全过程都要贯彻严的要求”;
谈反腐败斗争,指出要“在不敢腐上持续加压”“在不能腐上深化拓展”“在不想腐上巩固提升”,同时强调“进一步健全完善惩治行贿的法律法规”“严厉打击那些所谓‘有背景’的‘政治骗子’”;
谈健全党统一领导、全面覆盖、权威高效的监督体系,指出“党委(党组)要发挥主导作用,统筹推进各类监督力量整合、程序契合、工作融合”,同时强调“要持续深化纪检监察体制改革”“要把巡视利剑磨得更光更亮”……
一分部署,九分落实。
时刻保持解决大党独有难题的清醒和坚定,驰而不息将全面从严治党向纵深推进,百年大党必将在自我革命中不断焕发蓬勃生机,始终成为中国人民最可靠、最坚强的主心骨。
策划:霍小光
主笔:孙少龙
统筹:张晓松、张为民、王绚
视觉丨编辑:张爱芳、袁睿、古一平
新华社国内部制作
新华社第一工作室出品
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)