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.
新一年首个偿债高峰来临 房企如何抓住融资“窗口期”?******
2023年年初,各大机构相继披露2022年12月份以及全年的房企融资数据。总体来看,在融资环境日渐宽松的背景下,2022年12月份房企融资出现“翘尾”行情,但纵观全年数据,仍呈现不小幅度的下滑。据中指研究院统计数据显示,2022年全年,房地产行业共实现非银类融资8457.4亿元,同比下降50.7%。
2023年,仍是房企的偿债之年,特别是一季度,迎来首个偿债高峰。在业内人士看来,融资环境会持续宽松,企业要抓住融资窗口期,补充流动性,优化债务规模和结构。
2022年12月,房企融资出现“翘尾”行情,但全年数据仍呈现不小幅度的下滑。图/IC photo
上月房企融资规模大幅增长
据克而瑞统计数据显示,2022年12月,100家典型房企的融资总量为1018亿元,环比增加84.7%,同比增加33.4%,年内首次单月融资规模突破千亿。其中,12月房企债券发行了411.6亿元,环比增加92.2%,同比增加30.3%。
同策研究院监测的40家典型上市房企数据显示,2022年12月,40家房企共完成融资金额712.5亿元,环比上升125.03%。其中,债权融资金额为580.44亿元,占总融资金额比重为81.47%,环比上升140.65%;股权融资金额为132.06亿元,占总融资金额比重为18.53%,环比上升75.07%。
对于2022年底融资规模的大幅增长,同策研究院分析称,继2022年11月“三箭齐发”,从信贷、债券、股权三个融资渠道为房地产企业提供政策支持之后,12月房地产融资大幅反弹,迎来仅次于3月份的融资小高峰,虽未达到2020年平均水平,但高于2021年均值。同时,面对即将到来的春节假期,大多数房企也开始提前储备资金,保证年终的现金流动性。其中,中期票据和境内银行贷款分别是国企和民企融资主入口。
此外,在融资成本上,克而瑞数据显示,2022年12月,100家典型房企新增债券类融资成本4.34%,环比提高0.7个百分点,同比下降0.18个百分点。其中,融资成本最低的为中海地产发行的公司债,票面利率2.25%。
2022年全年房企融资数据仍显低迷
虽然2022年底房企融资数据翘尾,但是纵观全年,仍显低迷。
据中指研究院统计数据显示,2022年1-12月,房地产行业共实现非银类融资8457.4亿元,同比下降50.7%。
克而瑞统计数据显示,2022年100家典型房企全年融资总量为8240亿元,同比减少38%,这是自2016年以来首次低于1万亿元,主要是因为2022年房企流动性危机大面积爆发,民营房企的融资规模长期低迷。
同策研究院监测的40家典型上市房企融资数据显示,2022年其融资总额为5697.23亿元,较前一年下降27%,连续3年下滑。
同策研究院分析称,去年以来房企融资一直处于低谷,前10个月虽然出台了一系列融资方面的指导政策,但是房企融资环境并未得到有效改善,实际情况是融资环境在进一步恶化,下半年比前一年下滑速度更快,直到11月房地产行业融资政策密集出台,从信贷、债券、股权三个融资渠道为房地产企业提供政策支持;12月,房企融资终于迎来了小高峰。
预计今年上半年是房企融资窗口期
进入新的一年,房企的偿债压力有多大?房企融资环境还将有多大程度的宽松?
2023年一季度,房企迎来偿债高峰。中指研究院数据显示,2023年一季度为首个偿债高峰,其中,信用债中有近400亿元、海外债中有近700亿元为出险企业的到期债务,占一季度到期债务的四成。
“我们统计,2023年房企到期信用债及海外债合计9579.6亿元,相比上年多700亿元,房企偿债规模有增无减。特别是2023年一季度的1月、3月,房企偿债规模均超千亿元,4月、7月也超千亿元,这几个月房企偿债压力较大。”中指研究院企业研究总监刘水如是说。
但从另一方面来看,政策环境也在持续宽松中。2023年1月10日,人民银行、银保监会联合召开主要银行信贷工作座谈会,其中提到,实施改善优质房企资产负债表计划,聚焦专注主业、合规经营、资质良好、具有一定系统重要性的优质房企,开展“资产激活”“负债接续”“权益补充”“预期提升”四项行动。同时,要落实好16条金融支持房地产市场平稳健康发展的政策措施,用好民营企业债券融资支持工具(“第二支箭”),保持房企信贷、债券等融资渠道稳定,满足行业合理融资需求。
对此,刘水分析称,去年11月以来,支持房企融资的“三支箭”持续推进,这些房企融资渠道将继续发挥作用,2023年有望延续融资宽松的环境。
同策研究院也认为,从政策和市场表现来看,预计今年上半年会是房企融资的窗口期。
政策宽松下,能否抓住机会还在于企业自身。中指研究院分析称,在行业供给端利好尽出的背景下,房企融资端流动性紧张问题将得以明显改善。企业要抓住当前融资窗口期,根据自身情况积极对接资金供给方,既要优化债务规模和结构,也要及时补充流动性,更要借助融资力量拉动销售端,推动经营端流动性回暖,从根本上解决流动性问题。
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)