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.
外媒关注2023“欢乐春节”活动：共享中国文化盛宴的重要平台******
中新网1月31日电 (甘甜)《唐诗的回响》春节音乐会在美国纽约唱响，泰国曼谷办起了热闹非凡的庙会……由中国文化和旅游部主办的2023年“欢乐春节”活动，受到各方关注。外媒援引观点称，这一系列活动不仅架起了中外文化沟通交流的桥梁，也日益成为各国共享中国文化盛宴的重要平台。
“欢乐春节”活动由中国文化和旅游部主办，自2001年起已连续举办22年，覆盖全球100多个国家，越来越多的文化元素融入到“欢乐春节”活动中，越来越多的外国民众加入到庆祝中国春节的人群中。
2023年“欢乐春节”全球活动形式创新、内容丰富，首次面向全球征集推出“欢乐春节”兔年吉祥物，联动举办“新元贺岁古韵新春”庙会、“年货节”等活动，让全世界民众共享中国春节的喜悦气氛、感受中华优秀传统文化的独特魅力。
巴基斯坦《每日时报》在《展现中国魅力，谱写巴中友谊新篇章》一文中指出，近来，巴基斯坦和中国展开了诸多文化合作交流，包括“欢乐春节”活动。报道认为，这些合作交流将进一步加强两国联系。
1月14日，2023年“欢乐春节”全球活动启动仪式在河南郑州举行。图为合唱《让世界充满爱》表演现场。程航摄巴基斯坦《黎明报》也对巴中两国一系列中国春节庆祝活动进行了报道。该媒体还援引中国驻巴基斯坦大使馆文化参赞兼巴基斯坦中国文化中心主任张和清的话称， “欢乐春节”活动近年来蓬勃发展，正日益成为中国与世界人民共享中国文化和理念的重要平台。
美国费城新闻网站6abc Action News关注到，《唐诗的回响：iSING! Suzhou和费城交响乐团中国新年音乐会》在美国唱响，来自10个国家的歌唱家们参与演绎。这些音乐体现了中国经典唐诗的悠久历史。
阿联酋通讯社报道称，2023“欢乐春节”大巡游1月14日在迪拜世博城举行。报道援引迪拜世博城政府合作伙伴关系副总裁苏马亚·阿里的话说：“此类庆祝活动加深了我们彼此之间的联系，也鼓励我们寻求加强文化、外交和商业关系的同时，充满希望和乐观地展望未来。”
土耳其阿纳多卢通讯社报道称，从泰国、塞尔维亚、新西兰到美国，多个标志性建筑物点亮“中国红”；令人眼花缭乱的舞龙、舞狮、兔子主题红灯笼和其他装饰品，也随处可见。报道特别提到，泰国曼谷和普吉岛等多地举办了丰富多彩、特色鲜明的2023年“欢乐春节”庆祝活动。泰国总理巴育也现身庆祝活动，并赞扬了泰中两国的深厚友谊。
中国春节喜庆的氛围，还传递到了法国首都巴黎。当地举行庆祝活动迎接兔年新春，包括中国传统服饰汉服展示、中国画展、中国音乐会、供孩子们游玩的手工工坊、美食品尝等。
加拿大卡尔加里也举行了丰富多彩的表演和庆祝活动。加拿大广播公司(CBC)对此报道说，对于很多加拿大人来说，春节是一个了解其他国家和地区文化的绝佳时机。前阿尔伯塔省长诺特利还称，这期间，当地居民都走出门参加活动，他们很高兴能够借机与彼此联系和交流。(完)
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