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.
久缠的痛经与脱发,竟是“隐形消耗”的代价******
医案——小敏,21 岁,经行腹痛半年余,伴有脱发、汗多
小敏今年21岁,是一位在读的设计专业大学生。这个学期,她准备毕业实习,要设计一系列作品,由于经常熬夜,每天都与冰咖啡奶茶打交道。然而,在半年前,她每次例假都会痛经,有时还需要服用止痛药。尤其是今年入冬以来,每次来例假都不得不请病假,只因痛得直不起腰板。近来她还掉头发严重,出汗也很多,常手脚冰凉,尤其是膝盖以下就像被冰水浸泡,多穿也不觉得暖和。她还经常觉得腹部胀满。上一次来例假时有很多血块,血色暗红,腰酸腰痛。于是在闺蜜的陪伴下,向德叔求治。
德叔解谜——气滞血瘀,寒凝胞宫
痛经的病机主要为冲任气血运行不畅,经血流通受阻,以致“不通则痛”或冲任子宫失于濡养而“不荣而痛”。小敏平日嗜食寒凉,寒湿伤于下焦、客于胞中,经血因寒湿凝滞,溢泻不畅而痛经,伴有腹胀、手脚冰凉、腰酸等不适。加之小敏经常熬夜,滋养不了肝血,发为血之余,便易出现脱发。治疗上,德叔采用温脾肾之阳,养肝血,佐以疏肝调经止痛。小敏服用中药1周后,手脚冰凉明显缓解,痛经也缓解了。
预防保健——穴位养生,激发阳气
冬至已至。冬至之前地表尚有“积热”,冬至之后则是真正寒冬。小敏这类痛经的“冰美人”应做到“三暖”:头暖、背暖和足暖。冬至是阴阳二气自然转化之时,此时艾灸、按摩或拍打神阙、大椎、至阳、足三里等穴位,可激发身体阳气,驱逐体内寒气,保持身体、手足温暖并增强体质,预防疾病。也可于冬至前后四天,用艾条灸神阙穴(将艾条点燃后,以肚脐为中心,由远至近转圈熏灼肚脐周围)。注意不要灼伤皮肤,艾灸时有温热感即可。每天一次,每次15分钟~20分钟。
德叔养生药膳房——
圆肉红枣饮
材料:当归15克,桑寄生15克,桂圆肉30克,红枣(去核)2-3枚。
功效:温经散寒补肝肾。
烹制方法:上述食材清洗干净后,加入清水750毫升(约3碗水量),武火煮沸后改文火煮40分钟,代茶饮。此为1-2人量。
提示:每次月经干净后第三天连续服用3-5天。
当归羊肉煲
材料:羊肉300克,山药(鲜品)80克,当归15克,陈皮3克,红枣去核2-3枚,枸杞20克,生姜3-5片,精盐适量。
功效:温中散寒止痛。
烹制方法:诸物洗净,羊肉切块放入沸水中焯水备用,山药削皮切块备用;上述食材放入煲中,加清水1750毫升(约7碗水量),武火煮沸后改文火煲1.5小时,加入适量精盐调味即可。此为2~3人量。(记者 林清清 通讯员 沈中)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)