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.
【新时代新征程新伟业】一亩油茶开起大别山“绿色银行”****** 中新网信阳12月28日电 题：一亩油茶开起大别山“绿色银行” 作者 阚力 盛鹏 房前屋后一亩油茶，是大别山革命老区豫南光山县的油茶种植现状。如今，油茶连点成片如一座“绿色银行”，逐步成为大别山区的致富密码。 油茶作为木本油料植物，有较高的经济价值。2022年中央一号文件明确，支持扩大油茶种植面积，改造提升低产林。被授予“中国油茶之乡”的光山县，已将油茶产业发展成当地农民致富增收的重要渠道之一。  图为司马光油茶园漫山遍野的油茶树。(资料图) 盛鹏 摄冬日静谧的光山县司马光油茶园，几名工人正忙着修剪老枝，管护茶园。 “在茶园一个月收入3000块钱，加上自己种的油茶，一年能有五六万块钱收入！”近年来，在茶园就业的村民黄友德也响应了“房前屋后一亩茶”全民油茶计划，种植了20多亩油茶。 在当地，流行“一亩油茶百斤油，又娶媳妇又盖楼”这样一句顺口溜。如今，像黄友德一样，依靠油茶盖楼又致富的光山人越来越多。  图为司马光油茶园。(资料图) 盛鹏 摄截至目前，光山县油茶种植总面积近30万亩，从事油茶产业的专业合作社超百家，带动近30万农民增收致富。 那么，为何有如此之多村民种油茶呢？ 在光山谈起油茶，人们就会提及陈世法。2008年，在外打拼半生的他，回到家乡，承包荒山，推广油茶种植。 地处丘陵的光山县，气候宜人、光照充足，适宜油茶树生长，虽然有着得天独厚的条件。但油茶产业投资大、见效慢，陈世法选择返乡从事这一产业，也让很多人不解。 不过，陈世法也有自己的“小算盘”：“油茶树回报期长，结果期长达80年，既能见到经济效益还能绿化荒山野坡，是一年栽种多年收益的‘绿色银行’。” 说干就干。陈世法承包了光山县槐店乡的万亩荒坡，成了当地种油茶的“领头羊”。如今，他承包的这片荒坡也就是声名远播的“司马光油茶园”。同时，他还以“联兴”为名，注册了河南省联兴油茶公司，自任董事长。  图为冬季的司马光油茶园。(资料图) 盛鹏 摄走进“联兴”油茶加工厂，机器的轰鸣和工人的忙碌。正忙着灌装山茶油的工人说，“油茶籽10月底前完成了采摘入库，提炼的茶油正在加紧封装，春节前是销售旺季。” “司马光油茶园通过油茶种植、生产加工，实现年产值近亿元，带动周边群众就业增收。”陈世法说，该公司以“公司+基地+农户”的模式，发展油茶3万亩，实现产业全链条一体化，同时开发出茶油系列化妆品，提升了油茶附加值。 一人致富不算富，众人拾柴火焰高。伴随着油茶产业的发展，光山县涌现了蓝天、联兴、诚信等一批油茶种植龙头企业。 光山县诚信实业公司总经理陈勇表示，目前，他们正在以油茶为载体，扩大油茶种植规模，发展油茶观光休闲旅游，构建油茶一、二、三产业融合体。 据光山县林业和茶产业局相关负责人介绍，近年来，该县组建了产业联盟，引导油茶产业健康发展；培育“司马光”“联兴”“全家福”等油茶品牌，启动了“光山油茶”地理标识品牌创建，把油茶产业融入“一带一路”建设，推动油茶企业“走出去”。 近些年，油茶产业的大力发展，不仅给光山县带来经济效益，也带来了生态和社会效益。通过油茶种植的带动，该县以杉木为主的用材林面积达28.8万亩，昔日的荒山披上“绿装”，一批山区农民端起了“绿饭碗”，吃上了“生态饭”。 “到2025年，全县新增油茶种植面积10万亩，建设现代油茶产业示范园1万亩，带动10万农户种油茶，户均增收5000元，全力打造中国油茶北缘强县。”光山县林业和茶产业局局长金作银信心满满地说。(完)
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