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.
强化干部作风建设,这里通报公职人员着装问题******
中新网北京2月2日电(记者 阚枫)新春开启,多地将干部作风建设作为新春开工的首要之事进行部署,有地区还通报了公职人员开会着装问题。
开工首日的会议,多人被通报
近日,拉萨市城关区纪委监委发布一则关于违反会风会纪情况的通报,通报显示,1月28日,新春首个工作日,城关区委召开进一步改进作风狠抓落实工作推进会暨“作风建设年”动员会,这次会上,城关区纪委与城关区委效能办对会场会风会纪进行了全程监督。
按照纪委监委发布的通报,这次会上多人因为迟到被点名通报,多人迟到长达50多分钟。通报中还点出“会议着装方面,普遍存在着装不统一、里穿正装不脱外套的现象”,通报称,如再次出现相关问题,将点名道姓通报,从严处理。
通报称,着装问题看似是小事,实质是干部精神风貌的展示,是纪律意识不强、规矩意识淡薄的一种表现,是自我要求不严、工作作风不实的一种体现。
多地曾通报公职人员着装问题
干部因着装问题被通报,上述案例并非首次。
2017年1月,河北深州市纪委对违反会纪的32名干部进行点名通报,其中包括14名“一把手”被约谈,起因是在深州市委五届七次全会上,督查中发现22名公职人员未按规定着装,10名公职人员着装不规范。
当时,深州市纪委负责人表示,“只有管住小节,才能守住底线,如果连穿着正装这样的‘小节’都不能做到,连会议的纪律都不能遵守,那么全面从严治党就无从谈起。”
不仅开会着装的问题被通报,机关工作人员的日常着装问题也曾被通报。
2017年5月,辽宁盘山县政府办公室曾发布一则有关单位机关工作人员着装检查情况的通报。通报提到,部分单位工作人员仍然存在穿运动服、无领衫、露肩衫、运动裤、牛仔裤、运动鞋、凉鞋、拖鞋等情况,着装与仪表不符合端庄、稳重、大方、干练等国家机关工作人员形象礼仪的要求。
公职人员着装有啥要求?
近年来,多地曾专门就机关工作人员着装问题进行过规范,一些地区还专门出台具体标准。
2022年1月,江西抚州市直机关工委发布《关于规范市直机关干部着装和严格上下班工作纪律的通知》,通知除了明确机关干部出席正式、隆重、严肃场合应着正装,还提到机关事业单位工作人员进入办公场所,不得着奇装异服、居家服等服饰。着装不得过于炫耀,要保持服饰整洁。
通知称,女同志不得穿低胸装、露背装、露肩装、露脐装,不得穿超短裙、透视装、吊带装、紧身装、艳色装;男同志不得穿背心、短裤。此外,机关事业单位工作人员进入办公场所,不得佩戴离奇饰品,不得穿拖鞋,不得穿超高、带声响的高跟鞋,不得纹身。
2017年7月,媒体报道陕西咸阳市彬县对机关工作人员上班期间的仪容仪表进行详细规范,诸如,男同志不留长发,不蓄胡须,不佩戴饰品;女同志发型、发色适宜,化妆要淡、雅、素,不涂彩色指甲,不使用浓烈香水。不穿过于单薄、透视、紧身的服装。报道称,县纪委将不定期进行暗访督查,发现问题立即全县通报,并追究相关人员责任。
2016年,江西省委办公厅、省政府办公厅下发《省直机关工作纪律要求》,针对省直机关工作人员提出十条工作纪律,其中包括“不准穿背心、短裤、拖鞋和奇装异服上班”等。
如何避免矫枉过正?
近年来,部分地区有关干部着装的标准或通报发出之后,舆论中,不少网友认为对机关干部工作期间仪容仪表规范,确有必要,但是也有声音担心将着装问题“上纲上线”,过度问责。
对此,中央党校(国家行政学院)教授竹立家对中新网记者表示,公职人员在工作期间的着装问题应分类讨论,对于公检法、市场监管等有统一着装要求的行政执法部门来说,执法人员在工作期间应按相关要求着制式服装,对于其他公职人员来说,工作期间特别是在严肃场合应注意着装得体。
同时,竹立家称,对公职人员的着装事项,可以引导规范,但也应注意人性化管理,杜绝纪律扩大化,防止滋生新的形式主义。(完)