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.

苏辉：履职尽责，助力中国式现代化、助推祖国统一进程******

　　【学习贯彻党的二十大】苏辉：履职尽责，助力中国式现代化、助推祖国统一进程

　　连日来，各民主党派、工商联和无党派人士高度关注、持续热议中共二十大，认真学习贯彻二十大精神。大家纷纷表示，要紧紧围绕中共二十大绘制的宏伟蓝图、确立的奋斗目标和作出的战略部署，切实履行好参政党职能，主动参与全过程人民民主实践，在以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴的新征程上作出新贡献。即日起，“统战新语”陆续刊发各民主党派中央主席、全国工商联主席和无党派人士代表的学习心声。

　　中共二十大是以习近平同志为核心的中共中央，在团结带领全国人民进军第二个百年奋斗目标的关键时刻召开的一次十分重要的大会。大会全面贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，是推进中国式现代化新奋斗的指南针、深化伟大自我革命新赶考的宣言书、加强大团结大联合新局面的动员令。

　　让我们感到最振奋的是，选举产生以习近平同志为核心的新一届中共中央领导集体，领航民族复兴伟业，谱写团结奋斗新篇，充分彰显出“两个确立”的决定性意义；最深刻的是，极不寻常、极不平凡的过去五年成就、新时代十年伟大变革和“三件大事”历史性胜利，推动我国迈上全面建设社会主义现代化国家新征程；最自信的是，新时代新征程中国共产党的使命任务，必将引领全国人民打开事业发展新天地。台盟完全拥护中共二十大作出的各项重大决策。

　　特别是中共二十大以发展全过程人民民主的整体视野，巩固和发展最广泛的爱国统一战线；贯彻新时代中国共产党解决台湾问题的总体方略，明确坚定反“独”促统，深化两岸融合发展等重大方针政策。

　　作为与中国共产党同心同行的参政党，中共十九届六中全会作出召开中共二十大决议后，台盟就谋划推进迎接中共二十大召开、学习贯彻中共二十大精神，教育引领全体盟员始终同中国共产党想在一起、站在一起、干在一起。

　　一是紧扣迎接盛会召开，营造热烈浓厚氛围。以开展“矢志不渝跟党走、携手奋进新时代”政治交接主题教育为引领，以建设台盟历史陈列馆为重点，献礼中共二十大。在中共二十大开幕日下午，台盟历史陈列馆开馆，表达台盟全体盟员坚定跟中国共产党同心奋进的牢固信念。我们将以盟史馆为载体，讲好台盟履职故事、两岸家国故事，彰显新型政党制度优势。

　　二是紧扣学习领会精神，巩固共同思想基础。台盟围绕学习中共二十大报告和习近平总书记在会议期间的重要讲话精神，构建“三学”机制。通过组织全盟收看收听大会直播“同步学”，开展领导班子研讨和全盟座谈交流“跟进学”，撰写发表署名文章、开展“阅·思源”读书、举办讲座培训等“持续学”，学深悟透中共二十大精神。

　　三是紧扣贯彻促进履职，提高自身建设水平。台盟对标对表中共二十大决策部署，坚持以中国共产党为师，以助力中国式现代化、助推祖国统一进程为题，深化政治交接，谋划履职尽责。特别是围绕台盟中央换届等重要工作，切实把中共二十大精神贯穿台盟工作始终，为全面建设社会主义现代化国家贡献力量。

　　苏辉(作者系台盟中央主席)

　　来源：统战新语微信公众号