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.
绍兴:上调住房公积金贷款最高额度******
中新网1月11日电 据绍兴市住房公积金管理中心网站11日消息,绍兴市住房公积金管理委员会近日印发《住房公积金“惠民生、促共富”十条举措》的通知。
通知提到,上调住房公积金贷款最高额度。支持缴存职工刚性和改善性住房需求,进一步上调全市住房公积金贷款最高额度,即三区及诸暨市单职工家庭贷款最高额度由60万元上调至70万元,双职工家庭贷款最高额度由80万元上调至100万元;嵊州市、新昌县单职工家庭贷款最高额度由35万元上调至50万元,双职工家庭贷款最高额度由60万元上调至80万元。
通知还提到,上调住房公积金贷款保底额度。聚焦“扩中”“提低”,将全市住房公积金贷款保底额度统一调整为不低于30万元,让更多低缴存职工享受住房公积金贷款政策红利。
在支持新就业大学生首套首次住房公积金贷款方面,通知明确,大专及以上学历毕业生毕业3年内在绍兴市落户或就业,在全市范围内购买自住住房,符合住房公积金贷款条件的,首套首次住房公积金贷款给予额度上浮20%的支持。
此外,完善二孩、三孩家庭住房公积金支持政策。二孩、三孩家庭符合住房公积金贷款条件的,可贷额度允许分别上浮20%、30%,但不得超过最高额度的120%。
提高职工租赁提取住房公积金标准方面,加大租赁住房的支持力度,缴存职工本人及其配偶在住房公积金缴存地均无自住住房且租房自住的,提取住房公积金的额度提高至不超过1500元/月·人标准,同时职工可在一年提取一次的原则下灵活选择提取时间。
支持农村自建房屋住房公积金贷款方面,缴存职工符合住房公积金贷款条件的,凭合法审批手续在绍兴市域范围内农村自建房屋可以申请贷款,但需第三方担保或其他商品房作为抵押物。
通知还提出支持住房公积金贷款“带押过户”。积极探索二手房交易“带押过户”新模式,加强部门协同,有序推进二手房交易住房公积金贷款“带押过户”业务,有效降低制度性交易成本。
优化按月对冲还款业务规则方面,缴存职工(主贷人)办理了按月对冲还贷业务,其配偶(或共同借款人)因不在同一区、县(市)无法办理对冲还贷业务的,允许到窗口柜面按年提取扣除对冲部分金额后的实际已还款额。
此外,优化住房公积金服务网点分布。聚焦高水平网络大城市建设,结合重要片区、节点建设,在袍江等新增多个住房公积金便民服务点,方便职工群众就近办理。
通知明确,加快住房公积金业务数字化改革。紧盯关键小事,围绕“一件事一次办”,持续推进数字化改革,加强数据共享,进一步拓展线上业务办理范围、优化办理流程、减少申请材料、不断提升网上办、掌上办服务水平。
上述政策自2023年1月1日起执行,涉及贷款额度上浮的支持政策不重复叠加。(中新财经)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)