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.
千年古村落的“狂欢节”：闹社火、展非遗、迎元宵****** (新春走基层)千年古村落的“狂欢节”：闹社火、展非遗、迎元宵 中新网运城2月3日电 题：千年古村落的“狂欢节”：闹社火、展非遗、迎元宵 作者 杨佩佩 舞龙灯、踩高跷、扭秧歌、跑竹马、二鬼摔跤……临近农历正月十五元宵节，千年古村落山西省运城市新绛县泉掌村热闹非凡，一场场社火展演吸引十里八村的民众前来观看，当地上演着“乡村狂欢”。 据记载，泉掌村至今已有2700余年历史。其历史文化底蕴深厚，拥有泉掌关帝庙、泉掌遗址、晋灵公遗址等文物古迹。同时，这里保留村落的历史格局与传统风貌，2016年入选第四批中国传统村落名录。  一场舞龙表演在欢呼喝彩声中掀起高潮。 武俊杰 摄连日来，泉掌村锣鼓喧天，人潮涌动，展演的队伍填满街巷，再现明人张岱《陶庵梦忆》中记述的“席无不人，人无不歌唱鼓吹”景象。 展演现场，随着乐器声响起，30余名表演者骑着“高头大马”，上半身表演骑马者的姿态表情，下半身模仿马的动作，不时变换队形，驰骋跳跃，仿佛置身于古战场。这是风行于山西的传统民俗活动“跑竹马”，也是每年春节闹社火必不可少的活动。  千年古村落山西省运城市新绛县泉掌村热闹非凡。 武俊杰 摄跑竹马是自娱自乐型的传统民间舞蹈，相传始于宋代，内容取材于女真族(金兀术)跨马游春的故事，已有1000年的历史。 这些表演者都是当地村民，韩红玉便是其中一名，自幼喜欢歌舞的她对跑竹马很感兴趣。“音乐一响，我就觉得特别带劲，很喜欢那种放马驰骋的潇洒。”为了演好“头马”这个角色，韩红玉经常看电视上的骑马表演，还现场观察马跑起来的动作。 其间，孙志杰带来的中国传统社火表演“二鬼摔跤”引得在场民众阵阵掌声。二鬼摔跤又称二娃摔跤、二喜摔跤，是一人背驮二鬼(傀儡道具)进行表演的汉族民间舞蹈形式。  泉掌村锣鼓喧天，人潮涌动，展演的队伍填满街巷。 武俊杰 摄现场可见孙志杰在道具围子的隐藏下，以双臂双腿模拟二人摔跤动作，通过抡、转、滚、翻、摔、扫、踢等套路进行表演，动作逼真，极具动感。 “我平时在西安工作，今年回家过年碰上村里闹社火，就表演了这个节目。”孙志杰说，2019年，表演“二鬼摔跤”的邻居年事已高，便将技巧教授给他。学了两天，加之自己揣摩，同年就在村里进行第一次表演。今年是他第二次表演“二鬼摔跤”，没想到这么受欢迎。  风行于山西的传统民俗活动“跑竹马”。 武俊杰 摄伴随着锣鼓声，约18米的“长龙”在村民的挥舞下，时而腾空、时而俯冲、时而盘旋……一场舞龙表演在欢呼喝彩声中掀起高潮。泉掌村舞龙队负责人许虎子介绍，这条“龙”是祖祖辈辈传下来的，百余年来，村里的几代人共舞一条“龙”，他们对其很有感情。 “村里闹社火必有舞龙，我们从小就爱看舞龙，十几岁便跟着老一辈学习，就这样一代代传承。”许虎子说，现在村里的年轻人也能自发成立舞龙队，他们都热爱传统文化，愿意表演。(完)
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