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.
（新春走基层）“中国李乡”广东信宜：万树李花唤春归******
中新网茂名1月12日电 题：“中国李乡”广东信宜：万树李花唤春归
作者 梁盛 陈子楷
冬将尽，唤春归。在“中国李乡”广东信宜市钱排镇、茶山镇等三华李主产区，时下正是李花绽放季节，洁白素雅、幽香扑鼻的李华漫山遍野，微风拂过，如“香雪”飘舞。
记者在有“中国三华李第一镇”美誉的钱排镇看到，今年，尽管次第而开的李花表现“不尽人意”，但全镇10万多亩三华李基地化的种植规模，足以构成一幅千山覆“雪”的壮美画景，吸引了各地游客闻香而至。
钱排镇街上车水马龙，人流熙攘；乡野间，李林里，处处欢声笑语，三五成群、随亲携友的男女老幼，穿梭赏花绿道间，一边谈笑风生，一边拍摄留影。
据当地果农李老伯介绍，每年春节前后，是李花最繁盛的时期。今年的李花因为分多批次开放，整体观赏度不是很理想，但“花疏而果硕”，今年三华李产销的行情应该比上年更看好。
据了解，钱排镇因“李”而富，因“李”而名。“中国李乡·山水双合”是钱排镇声名鹊起的农文旅融合发展示范新村。在刚刚过去的2022年，乡村变景区的“山水双合”，游客接待量突破了120万人次。
在钱排镇，路基已成雏形的县域副中心环城大道建设现场，一台台挖掘机、铲车、运土车、送料车往来穿梭，搅拌机机声隆隆，建设者们正冒着寒冷天气忙个不停……
现场一位镇政府官员说，“每年春节假期，各地游客都爱扎堆前来钱排镇赏李花，当地的宾馆、酒楼应接不暇，交通压力需要得到缓解。距离春节还有10天时间，工人们正朝着阶段目标大干快上，确保建设进度和工程质量两不误。”
信宜市人大常委会副主任、钱排镇党委书记俞淮竞告诉记者，近几年来，信宜市三华李产业坚持走“一业独大、多元并进、农旅一体、产城融合”的发展路线，不仅打造了远近闻名的“银妃”三华李品牌和“春赏花、夏品果”的文旅品牌，还建成省级三华李产业园，发展三华李深加工、延长产业链。
作为三华李产业“排头兵”的钱排镇，已逐步实现了由“大”到“强”的转变，带动了地方旅游、餐饮、交通、运输等第三产业蓬勃发展。该镇的“李花谷”“山水双合”风貌带，也凭借其独特魅力，成为远近闻名的乡村振兴“网红”打卡点。
俞淮竞表示，目前，“李花谷”“山水双合”二期所有建设项目均已接近尾声，“中国三华李之乡”“中国三华李第一镇”的名片将越擦越亮。(完)
