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.
两股冷空气“接力” 东北局地最低温或破同期极值****** 中国天气网讯 今明两天(1月18日至19日)，全国大部地区气温仍以回升为主，最高气温10℃线将北抬至河南北部到安徽北部一线。不过，冷空气也即将再度活跃，19日至20日和22日至24日两股冷空气接踵而至，东北地区北部局地最低气温将接近或突破历史同期极值，公众请注意防寒保暖。 两股冷空气接踵而至 东北部分地区最低温或跌破同期极值 今明两天，全国大部仍以升温为主。到了明天，最高气温10℃线将北抬至河南北部到安徽北部一线，像是南京、合肥、武汉最高气温都会超过10℃；华南部分地区最高气温也将达到20℃左右，暖意回归。 不过，冷空气也即将再度活跃起来。中央气象台预计，19日至20日，冷空气将影响我国北方地区，华北、东北地区及黄淮北部等地降温4～8℃，部分地区超过12℃，21日清晨东北地区北部局地日最低气温将接近或突破历史同期极值；内蒙古东部、东北地区东部等地部分地区有小雪，局地中雪。22-24日，还将有冷空气影响我国中东部地区，大部地区降温4～6℃，局地降温8℃以上。 其中，东北等地降温最为明显，21日清晨东北北部局地最低气温将接近或突破历史同期极值。大城市中，哈尔滨21日早晨最低气温或降至-30℃以下，沈阳下周初最低气温也将不足-21℃；哈尔滨最高气温甚至也将陆续降至-20℃之下，一片天寒地冻，寒冷程度同期少见，当地公众请注意防寒保暖。 西南等地仍多雨雪 东北降雪再度增多 降水方面，未来三天，我国大部雨雪比较稀少，以晴朗干燥天气为主，雨雪主要集中在西南及东北的部分地区。 具体来看，中央气象台预计，今天，内蒙古中东部、黑龙江大部、吉林中部、西藏西部和东部、青海南部、川西高原北部、贵州西部、云南东北部等地部分地区有小到中雪或雨夹雪，其中，西藏东南部等地部分地区有大到暴雪。西藏东南部、四川盆地东部、重庆大部、贵州北部、云南中南部、海南岛大部、台湾岛东部等地部分地区有小雨。
明天，内蒙古中东部、黑龙江大部、吉林中部、辽宁北部、西藏西部和东南部、青海南部、贵州西部、云南东北部等地部分地区有小到中雪或雨夹雪，其中，西藏西南部等地部分地区有大到暴雪。西藏东南部、重庆南部、贵州北部、云南中东部、海南岛大部、台湾岛东部等地部分地区有小雨。
后天，内蒙古中东部、黑龙江南部、吉林中部、辽宁北部、新疆北部、西藏西南部和东南部、青海南部、贵州西部、甘肃南部、陕西南部、湖北西南部等地部分地区有小到中雪或雨夹雪，其中，西藏西南部和东南部等地部分地区有大到暴雪。西藏东南部、重庆大部、湖南西部、贵州北部、云南中东部、海南岛大部、台湾岛东部等地部分地区有小雨。 气象专家提醒，西南地区近日雨雪天气较多，公众请注意防范雨雪天气造成的道路湿滑、能见度下降对春运出行等方面的不利影响。东北地区部分地区今明天降雪也将增多，天气寒冷，大家请注意防寒保暖。(中国天气网)
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