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.
元宵将至 贵州山区5629/30次“慢火车”带货忙******
(新春走基层)元宵将至 贵州山区5629/30次“慢火车”带货忙
中新网贵州桐梓2月3日电 题：元宵将至 贵州山区5629/30次“慢火车”带货忙
作者 瞿宏伦 肖珊
“按照我们的习俗，除了除夕，元宵节每家每户也要吃团圆饭，新鲜的蔬菜这几天供不应求。”2月3日，在贵州省遵义市汇川区境内的松坝站，村民冯光莲告诉记者，元宵节快到了，这几天通过5629/30次公益性“慢火车”带货的频率多了起来。
11时40分许，列车驶入松坝站，冯光莲和另外10多位村民背着自家种的白菜等农特产品早已在站台等候，他们将一起搭乘这趟“慢火车”前往遵义市桐梓县售卖蔬菜。
2月3日，贵州汇川，菜农在5630次“慢火车”“带货车厢”内售卖蔬菜。 瞿宏伦 摄这些村民是“慢火车”上的常客，被称为“背篓客”。他们背着新鲜的瓜果蔬菜、自家腌制的咸菜、自制手工艺品等从家门口坐“慢火车”前往县城集市售卖，同时采办一些生活用品后再坐“慢火车”返回。
车还没停稳，村民们就争先恐后的跑向最近的车厢排队等待上车。有的村民背篓太重、有的村民农特产品太多，在车站和列车工作人员的帮助下他们成功“挤”上了“带货车厢”，车厢内一角不一会就摆放了各类蔬菜，成了一个小型菜市场。
5629/30(贵州遵义开往重庆、重庆开往贵州遵义)次公益性“慢火车”(以下简称：5629/30次“慢火车”)串联着娄山关、红花园、桐梓等23个站点。目前是川黔铁路仅存的一趟旅客列车，最低票价6元人民币，是当地村民出行、做生意的重要交通工具。
2月3日，贵州汇川，5630次“慢火车”“带货车厢”。 瞿宏伦 摄松坝站是5629/30次“慢火车”停靠的五等小站，车站沿线多数村民都种植蔬菜售卖，是他们主要收入来源之一。将种植的蔬菜运出深山、帮助村民圆了“致富梦”的正是这趟“慢火车”。
“我们这里的村民都有种菜，蔬菜在村里面需求量不大，要带到外面去卖。”村民冯光莲告诉记者，花费7元钱坐着“慢火车”去县城售卖是最好的选择。“县城里的大多数人依旧喜欢从田间采摘的新鲜蔬菜，带的货不愁卖不出去。”
遵义车务段松坝站站长王溢是沿线村民的老朋友，和铁路沿线菜农都很熟悉，哪一家主要种什么他都清楚。
王溢说，“慢火车”虽然慢，但村民在家门口就可以上车，而且把蔬菜带上车还能节约运输成本，铁路沿线村民都选择用这趟“慢火车”带货。“马上就是元宵节了，这趟慢火车上的客流又慢慢多了起来，大家都赶着把农特产品带到县里去买。‘烟火气’持续回升，我们打心眼里高兴。”
据了解，为了满足村民多样化的出行需求，2022年7月18日，5629/30次“慢火车”升级为空调车，专设“带货车厢”，以方便村民将农特产品带上车售卖。有时遇到外出游玩的旅客，村民在车上就可以做起生意。
2月3日，贵州桐梓，列车工作人员帮助菜农在桐梓火车站下车。 瞿宏伦 摄“这趟‘慢火车’一直深受沿线村民的青睐。”遵义车务段党委副书记程书波介绍，近年来，5629/30次“慢火车”沿线村寨变化很大，铁路改变了村民们的家庭环境，让他们踏上了致富道路。
程书波表示，对很多人而言，“慢火车”已经成为一种记忆。但深山里的“慢火车”，仍在改善山区村民的出行环境，助力乡村振兴。
12时49分，列车到达桐梓站。车站工作人员帮村民们把背篓扶下车，大家拎着菜篮、背着货物快速地下车出站，迫不及待赶往市场……(完)
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