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.
直击“摩托大军”返乡******
2023年春节即将到来，伴随着春运的开始，广东佛山龙山加油站比以往更加热闹。等待给车辆加油的是数十米长的摩托车队，驾驶员们正为返乡做准备。
这些骑着摩托车的人被称为“春节返乡摩托车大军”，他们大多数是从外地到广东务工的工人，春节前将骑摩托车返回广西、贵州等地，在家乡过年。“摩托车大军”盛行时，数量最高曾突破百万辆次。
1月8日上午，华西都市报、封面新闻记者在现场看到，骑摩托车返乡的务工人员陆续来到加油站，为车辆加油，为返乡行程做准备。加油站工作人员表示，今年骑车返乡的务工人员人数相较过去三年有所回暖。
返乡“摩托大军”：
骑车出于爱好，当天可以到家
从工作地所在的广东佛山到家乡广西南宁，骑摩托车大约需要10个小时。韦易睦连续10年在春节前踏上这段回家路。今年，他照例骑上摩托车准备出发。临行前，他做了两个准备：连夜修好摩托车坏掉的电池，给车加满了油。
骑车是韦易睦的爱好。“正好出去，一路看一看。”这辆即将载着他返回家乡的摩托车，曾经载着他去过西藏。去年春节前，他也曾骑车载着妻子一起回家。但妻子觉得“受不了”，所以她今年计划乘坐高铁返乡。
佛山龙山加油站是大多数在粤务工返乡摩骑人员必经的站点。1月8日11时，华西都市报、封面新闻记者在龙山加油站现场看到，陆续有骑摩托车返乡的务工人员来到加油站加油和领取物品。
57岁的方立辉也在“摩托大军”的队伍中。他已经在广州打工二十多年，骑摩托车回家是他经常选择的交通方式。今年，他计划1月10日早上出发。约400公里的路程，他用8个小时可以走完，当天晚上就能抵达家乡广西贵港。
“摩托大军”数量今年或回暖
加油站免费为2000骑车人提供服务
“摩托大军”近几年数量锐减。据广东省交通部门2022年数据显示，“摩托大军”人群自2013年春运期间达到峰值约110万辆次后，明显呈逐年下降趋势。
龙山加油站站长裴大勇告诉记者，近年来，不少返乡摩骑人员开始退出“摩托大军”队伍。“(有的)摩托车车友现在买了私家车，另外在开通了高铁的地方，有些工人选择乘高铁回家。”
但据他们观察，今年参加返乡加油活动、计划骑车返乡的人数相较过去三年有所回暖。自2013年来，某品牌石油企业在广东开展公益活动，为春运期间摩骑返乡务工人员、跨省运输卡车司机提供免费加油、休息等服务。今年春运期间，该企业在广东多个加油站计划免费面向2000名骑车返乡人员提供服务。
华西都市报-封面新闻记者 林珏瑶 杨峰
佛山摄影报道
