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.
北京将建立河湖休养生息制度 依法划定禁渔区和禁渔期******
中新网北京1月11日电 (记者 陈杭)北京市将建立河湖休养生息制度,依法划定禁渔区和禁渔期,根据水环境质量和水生态健康状况,研究推进重点河湖(河段)水库一定时限的全面禁渔,并妥善解决渔民生产生活问题。到2025年全市污水处理率达到98%,正常年景市内五大流域(永定河、北运河、潮白河、大清河、蓟运河)干流实现“流动的河”,民众亲水需求得到有效满足。
北京市日前发布《关于进一步强化河(湖)长制工作的实施意见》,旨在全面落实“节水优先、空间均衡、系统治理、两手发力”的治水思路,坚持河(湖)长制治水工作机制和责任制,坚持用生态的办法解决生态的问题,坚持治水为民,坚持精治共治法治,以河(湖)长制为总抓手,强化总河长令引领和主导作用,从河流整体性和流域系统性出发,严守河道行洪安全底线和生态保护红线,加快提升水治理现代化水平,不断提高水生态健康水平,让绿水青山成为大国首都的靓丽底色。
到2025年全市污水处理率达到98%
意见提出,到2025年,北京市河(湖)长制治水工作机制更加完善,责任制体系进一步夯实,水生态空间管控体系基本建立,水资源配置和水务公共服务水平大幅提升,水生态健康状况持续改善,水环境问题基本根治,全市污水处理率达到98%,地表水国控断面达到或好于Ⅲ类水体比例稳步提升,劣Ⅴ类水体全面消除,正常年景市内五大流域(永定河、北运河、潮白河、大清河、蓟运河)干流实现“流动的河”,市民亲水需求得到有效满足。
到2035年,北京市水生态健康状况实现根本好转,河湖水系生态系统生物多样性水平明显提高,水生态系统质量和稳定性大幅提升,水清岸绿、鱼翔浅底的河湖景象持续呈现,首都河湖成为造福人民的幸福河湖,现代水治理体系基本建立。
实现地表水和地下水协同保护修复
意见明确,北京市强化水资源管理,坚持“以水定城、以水定地、以水定人、以水定产”,健全完善水资源刚性约束指标体系,全面落实最严格水资源管理制度,严格水资源“取水、供水、用水、排水及非常规水源利用”全过程管理,强化高耗水行业用水监管。深入实施节水行动,全面压实节水主体责任,做到“管生产必须管节水、管行业必须管节水、管城市运行必须管节水”,推动农业节水增效、工业节水减排、城市节水降损、绿化节水限额,不断扩大再生水、雨水收集利用。
同时,强化水生态治理。加快复苏河湖生态环境,根据水资源条件和功能分区要求,最大限度满足河湖基本生态流量;科学认识和处理地表水与地下水补排关系,实现地表水和地下水协同保护修复;加快首都水网规划建设,提高河湖水系连通性,维护河湖健康生命。
依法划定禁渔区和禁渔期
意见提出,北京市坚持生态优先、绿色发展。牢固树立尊重自然、顺应自然、保护自然的理念,处理好河湖管理保护与开发利用的关系,强化规划约束引导,促进河湖休养生息,维护河湖生态功能。
提升河湖栖息地生境多样性和河湖生物多样性,打通五大流域干流和重点支流水岸生物迁徙通道,规范放生行为,防治外来物种侵害。建立河湖休养生息制度,依法划定禁渔区和禁渔期,根据水环境质量和水生态健康状况,研究推进重点河湖(河段)水库一定时限的全面禁渔,并妥善解决渔民生产生活问题。
建设生态景观廊道
意见明确,北京市强化河湖空间与滨水区域空间融合,提升滨水空间开放共享与管理服务水平,进一步增强滨水空间活力。建设水城共融、林水相依的生态景观廊道,构建一批富含“生态、生活、生机”内涵理念的城市活力空间,打造一批水岸经济带。加快城市滨水慢行系统建设,依法合理布局河湖岸线便民服务配套设施,有序推动适宜河湖水域开展的水上冰上运动,不断满足市民休闲运动游憩需求。提升郊野河湖水生态品质,打造近自然岸线,构建清新明亮、蓝绿交织的生态景观带,提高滨水空间的通达性、宜居性。
提升跨省市界河湖联防联控联治
意见提出,北京市完善流域统筹协调机制。建立健全跨省市界重点流域管理工作联席会议机制,重点推动官厅水库、密云水库水源保护。充分发挥海河流域省级河湖长联席会议机制作用,强化与相邻省市河长制办公室的工作对接,统筹确定目标任务,统一治理标准,推动流域信息共享,提升跨省市界河湖联防联控联治水平。
健全区域协同机制。按照流域统一规划、统一治理、统一调度、统一管理要求,统筹确定跨界河湖不同区域的功能定位和保护目标。市级层面统筹跨区界河湖管理保护,区级层面统筹跨乡镇(街道)界河湖管理保护,明确上下游、左右岸、干支流管理保护责任。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)