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.
中国女足吹响集结号 主帅:今年三大比赛任务都很重******
为备战女足世界杯、杭州亚运会、巴黎奥预赛,中国女足于1月26日在位于广州番禺的广州足球俱乐部基地重新集结,从而成为农历兔年首支吹响集结号的国字号球队。主教练水庆霞为带队做好本期集训工作,并打好4场安排在西班牙进行的国际热身赛,累计征调了34名球员。其中包括王霜、唐佳丽两位在海外俱乐部效力的主力球员在内,共28名球员参加国内阶段的训练。由于各项大赛参赛人数均受到严格限定,教练组将结合训练与实战的情况,对现有阵容进行适度精简,这也意味着中国女足农历新年的备战工作将以激烈的内部竞争为开端。
虽重夺亚洲冠军
复兴之路仍漫漫
在刚刚过去的农历虎年中,中国女足无疑是各男、女国字号球队中,成绩最优秀的一支。在去年1月下旬至2月初印度进行的女足亚洲杯比赛中,中国女足一路过关斩将,最终在决赛中逆转取胜韩国队,从而时隔16年后重夺赛事冠军。从过去一年时间里的运行情况来看,中国女足在中国足协支持以及以名宿水庆霞为主帅的教练组指挥下,已经回归到正常的发展轨道上来,她们也重新唤起了广大国内球迷的希望。
不过,在飞速发展的当今国际女子足坛,没有哪支球队可以安逸地躺在功劳簿上。中国女足虽重夺亚洲杯桂冠,但夺冠除得益于全队上下辛勤付出外,亦存在运气的成分。比如中国女足在亚洲杯半决赛对阵日本队、决赛对阵韩国队时,取胜过程跌宕起伏,甚至一度陷入场面被动。此外,中国女足在当届赛事中未曾遭遇劲敌澳大利亚队,而作为亚足联各会员协会女足代表队中排名最高的朝鲜女足未能参赛。因此,对于中国女足重夺亚洲杯冠军,无论中国足协,还是水庆霞教练团队都保持着比较清醒的认识,中国女足欲实现复兴,长路漫漫。
保障人员配置充足
实力终是重要砝码
也正是眼见未来国际女子足球竞争形势渐趋严峻,中国女足于去年12月5日便在海口市开启了新周期备战的序幕。在上期集训于今年1月20日(农历虎年腊月二十九)结束后不到一周,球队便于1月26日(农历正月初五)在广州番禺吹响农历新年的第一声集结号。
考虑到中国女足在今年这个大赛年里将相继投入到女足世界杯、杭州亚运会女足赛、巴黎奥运会女足亚洲区预选赛3项重大赛事,中国足协为球队提供了最大限度的支持。以服务保障人员配置为例,协会特邀连续在国字号男、女足球队工作20年左右的队医,现河北足球俱乐部队医张鹏担任本届中国女足主治医生,而另一位队医伊青,在此之前也多次为U23等国字号男、女球队提供医疗服务。此外,球队除正常配备教练团队成员外,还分别邀请到两名体能教练、3名专职科研与技战术分析人员。
当然,实力始终是球队大赛最重要的竞争砝码。按照中国足协公布的集训通知,累计有34名球员入选新一期中国女足集训阵容,其中包括王霜、唐佳丽两名在海外俱乐部效力的主力攻击手在内,共28名球员参加国内部分的集训。张琳艳等6名海外俱乐部球员则将于2月10日以后,也就是球队抵达西班牙后,赴当地与球队会合。
下月热身赛程紧密
球员之间竞争激烈
按照计划,中国女足抵达西班牙后,将分别于2月14日VS西班牙皇家贝蒂斯俱乐部女足、2月16日VS瑞典女足、2月19日VS西班牙维瓦尔竞技女足、2月22日VS爱尔兰女足。考虑到本次西班牙之旅热身场次相对较多,且赛程紧密,上述34名球员可能全部或绝大多数赴西班牙参赛。不过,与去年卡塔尔男足世界杯一样,本届女足世界杯各参赛队每支至多报名26名队员,而杭州亚运会女足赛、巴黎奥运会女足预选赛各参赛队报名球员人数上限无论是否与往届保持一致,其具体人数都不会超过26人。因此中国女足接下来在辛勤备战同时,球员之间也会展开良性而激烈的竞争。
按照惯例,中国女足主帅水庆霞在全队集中日当天会向弟子们做“动员”讲话。她表示:“今年中国女足的三大比赛任务很重,我们的训练要求会比以往更加严格。教练组和队员之间相互信任,达成了统一的目标。我们将做好充足准备,全力以赴踢好每一场比赛。”
北京青年报 文/本报记者 肖赧 统筹/杜锐
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)