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.
除夕火车票7日开售!出行前需要注意这些******
中新网1月5日电 (中新财经 葛成)2023年春节的脚步越来越近,按照火车票提前15天发售的安排,7日,2023年除夕(1月21日)的火车票将正式开售。抢票前,这些新变化你要注意!
资料图 熊能 摄除夕火车票7日开售
2023年春运从1月7日开始,2月15日结束,为期共40天。
按照火车票提前15天发售的安排,1月5日,旅客可以购买1月19日(腊月二十八)的火车票,1月6日可以购买1月20日(腊月二十九)的火车票,1月7日可以购买1月21日(除夕)当日的火车票。
据了解,为充分满足旅客出行需求,方便旅客回家购票,铁路部门科学制定客车开行方案。其中,节前高峰日安排开行旅客列车6077对,节后高峰日安排开行旅客列车6107对,最大客座能力较疫情前的2019年春运增长11%。
此外,国铁集团表示,为满足旅客多样化需求,根据需要,将在部分运力紧张的高铁通道增开夜间高峰线动车组列车,在京广、杭深高铁开行卧铺动车组。
同时,铁路部门根据铁路12306客票预售和候补数据,分析旅客出行规律,动态研判客流走势,梯次安排运力投放,实现运能和需求的精准匹配。
资料图 公安部铁路公安局供图倡导旅客错峰出行 加强重点处所通风消毒
今年,春运期间的疫情防控工作受到了广泛关注。
随着疫情防控政策的进一步优化,跨区域人员流动性将加速释放,2023年综合运输春运疫情防控和运输服务保障工作面临新形势。
如何最大限度保障广大旅客和职工健康,最大限度减少疫情对春运的影响?
对此,铁路部门倡导旅客错峰出行,减少人员聚集,强化车站客流组织,积极推广无接触式服务,引导旅客有序分散进站候车,保持安全距离。
此外,铁路部门将加强卫生间、洗手池、电梯扶手、座椅等重点处所通风消毒,保持站车良好环境;加强旅行健康宣传提示,引导旅客全程佩戴口罩,强化自身健康防护;严格规范做好铁路春运一线职工健康防护,加强保洁、安检、餐饮、业务外包人员一体化管理;强化路地联防联控,有序做好应急处置工作。
资料图:广州南站旅客正在检票进站。 广铁集团供图购买儿童优惠票与学生优惠票有变化!
新版《铁路旅客运输规程》于2023年1月1日起施行。其中,有关儿童优惠票和学生优惠票的规定发生了变化。
儿童优惠票方面,全国铁路对儿童优惠票实行车票实名制管理,并以年龄划分优惠标准。随同成年人旅客乘车的儿童,年满6周岁且未满14周岁的儿童购买儿童优惠票,年满14周岁的购买全价票。每一名持票成年人旅客可免费携带一名儿童乘车,儿童年龄按乘车日期计算未满6周岁且不单独占用席位,超过一名时,超过人数应当购买儿童优惠票。
学生优惠票方面,铁路部门一并取消学生优惠票仅限寒暑假购买的限制,学生旅客可在一学年内任意时间购买4次优惠票。扩大非高峰方向列车票价打折优惠范围和幅度,让旅客获得更多实惠。
资料图:上海虹桥火车站 赵江炜 摄旅客出行体验还有这些改进!
春运是人员流动规模最大、出行最为集中的时期。有旅客出行时担心“上不了车、转不了站、吃不好饭”的问题。
针对旅客上述担忧,国铁集团表示,铁路部门推出便民利民惠民服务举措,有效提升旅客出行体验。具体举措如下:
1、进一步扩大电子客票应用范围,在到站补票和列车补票业务环节全面实施补票电子化;完善12306消息通知机制,及时准确向已购票旅客推送列车停运和变更信息。
2、将开展互联网订餐的车站由55个增加到76个,覆盖全国绝大部分动车组列车和长距离普速列车。
3、安排站内便捷中转换乘服务的车站由80个增至100个,旅客换乘将更加便捷高效。
4、在全国3200余组动车组列车上推行“铁路畅行”扫码服务,旅客通过扫描座椅扶手上的“铁路畅行码”,可顺畅查询列车正晚点、运行位置、接续车次、交通接驳等出行服务信息。
这个春节,你回家吗?(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎) [责编:天天中] 阅读剩余全文() |