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.
红泥小火炉,小心会中毒:“围炉煮茶”有风险****** 中新网北京1月29日电(刘欢)继露营、飞盘等户外活动在城市青年群体中掀起风潮后,“围炉煮茶”成为“新晋网红”。陶泥烤炉、一壶热茶、三五好友……文艺复兴式的围炉茶话会成为不少年轻人的社交消费新方式。 然而,近期也出现多起围炉煮茶导致的一氧化碳中毒事件。这届年轻人为何喜欢起喝茶?围炉煮茶正确的打开方式又是什么? 资料图:浙江一地“围炉煮茶”套餐 王题题 摄且将新火试新茶,架炉烧火烤棉花 据了解,早在唐宋时期,中国就已有煎煮茶汤、围炉夜话的习俗。煮茶的形式主要有两种:一种是云南的火塘烤茶,即用陶罐子在火塘上烤茶,而后沏水;另一种是甘肃的罐罐茶,用土烧的小陶罐加水熬煮,加入红枣、枸杞等材料。 发展到现在,围炉煮茶的“火”在城市青年群体中烧得正旺。在传统习俗的基础上,现下的围炉煮茶还融合了新潮元素。 茶壶不仅可以煮传统的岩茶、普洱,还有奶茶、咖啡、果酒等。喝茶的地点也从小院延伸到胡同口、河岸边,或者自己在家动手烧炭煮茶。一些人还会在铁网上摆上红薯、花生、栗子,甚至串了棉花糖来烤。 中新网注意到,目前,围炉煮茶仍然处于社交消费的前沿。某社交媒体平台已有超72万篇笔记分享玩法攻略,短视频平台围炉煮茶话题下也已有45.9亿的视频播放量。 话题火热的同时,电商平台商家也闻风而动。从茶壶茶碗,到炭炉筲箕,商家都打上了“围炉煮茶”的标签。如果要在家里置办一套“围炉标配”,仅购买炭炉、茶壶等器具,最便宜的也要上百元。 而线下店铺单次消费套餐均价在300元左右,包含茶水和部分适烤茶点。 煮一次茶的价格并不低,但扬州一家的茶馆工作人员接受媒体采访时说:“生意出乎意料的好。” 资料图:成都一茶馆内,坐满了“围炉煮茶”的顾客。 岳依桐 摄此时情绪此时天,烧水喝茶小神仙 据了解,围炉煮茶自2021年左右就 在浙江丽水等地流行,后来逐渐在全国各地推广,并成为继茶颜悦色等中式茶底奶茶爆火后的又一新中式茶饮。 相关数据显示,2020年中国新式茶饮的市场规模已达772.9亿元,预计到2030年,市场规模将接近2000亿元。 业内人士认为,在国潮崛起和网红经济的驱动下,围炉煮茶社交属性强、能提供情绪价值,或将成为一种茶文化新习俗。 而围炉煮茶提供的情绪价值,正是近年来社会热议的“松弛感”。 国家高级茶艺师、国家高级茶叶审评师朱锦武曾对媒体说,“围炉煮茶”之所以能广泛流行,与其自身的魅力有很大关系。“冬季气温低,大家围着炉子看着茶水沸腾和水汽氤氲,在视觉上更具舒适度,还能唤醒儿时火塘烤火的记忆。” 沸腾的茶水、精致的点心、幽微的茶味……围炉煮茶将中式审美发挥到了极致,让年轻人从都市生活中短暂地抽离出来,用消费来的社交场景换取片刻“松弛感”。也正如宋代周邦彦的词中所言:“此时情绪此时天,无事小神仙。” 资料图:浙江一地“围炉煮茶”套餐 王题题 摄多地出现一氧化碳中毒事件 中新网梳理发现,围炉煮茶在刷屏的同时,一氧化碳中毒事件也频频发生。 近日,江苏省扬中市120急救中心接到一通急救电话,有一对母子倒在家中,急救团队到达时他们已没有了心跳。事后了解到,这对母子是饭后在家中围炉煮茶,导致了一氧化碳中毒身亡。 此外,上海、武汉、山东等多地都出现因在室内围炉煮茶不当而导致的一氧化碳中毒事件。 一氧化碳是一种无色、无味的气体,在密闭空间内使用煤炉、柴炉、燃气时,含碳物质不完全燃烧就会产生一氧化碳。人体在吸入后,会出现头痛、眩晕、心悸、恶心等症状。 首都医科大学附属复兴医院急诊科主任医师赵丽曾对媒体表示,一氧化碳会对人体造成组织窒息,对全身的组织细胞均有毒性作用,尤其对大脑皮质的影响最为严重。 北京市大兴区消防救援支队此前曾为验证室内围炉煮茶的安全性,组织了一场模拟实验。 在一间约60平方米的密闭房间内,消防员点燃炭火,并实时监测一氧化碳的排放量。仅仅15秒钟,一氧化碳检测仪就发出了报警声(该检测仪在一氧化碳浓度达到0.002%时就会报警)。 1分50秒时,一氧化碳浓度就已经超过0.01%。不到3分钟,铁盆下方的纸张已烧焦一大片,竹制架子也被烧黑。 消防员表示,一氧化碳浓度一旦达到0.05%,就可以使人中毒,造成昏迷,甚至危及生命。室内燃烧炭火存在一氧化碳中毒及发生火灾的风险。他强调,使用炭火时,保持开窗通风,时刻注意自己的身体状态,火炉周围也不要堆放易燃易爆物品。(完)
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