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.
宁东基地:再造一个宁夏经济总量******
【新春走基层】
元旦,坐标西北。
日长一线,蓝天高远,空气中透着一丝清冷。而在宁夏宁东能源化工基地(以下简称宁东基地),企业车间处处是热火朝天的景象,全力冲刺首季“开门红”。
且不说人勤春来早。自治区赋予宁东“再造一个宁夏经济总量”的宏伟目标,它丝毫不敢怠慢。就在不久前,这里获评2022年全国化工园区高质量发展综合评价第五名,连续5年入围十强。
做好今年经济发展工作,宁东基地党工委副书记、管委会主任陶少华认为必须“三坚持”,即项目是生命线,好企业是本钱,企业家是财富。
以项目为抓手 豪气
往宁东基地最高处望去,那是宁夏派可威生物科技有限公司分离间甲酚和对甲酚的装置。
“二者沸点差很小,常规方法不可能将它们分开,我们在国内首创用尿素法进行分离,能耗低,环境污染小,产品转化率高。”该公司总经理王进世告诉记者。
间甲酚全球需求量是6万吨,我国需求量为1.9万—2万吨,这套装置设计产能1万吨,宁夏派可威生物科技有限公司能产出5500吨。
占地面积1600平方米、高度63.5米的整套装置正在进行保温收尾、单体打压等工序,上料投产指日可待。
以项目为抓手,鼓励企业把小规模装置转化成大生产示范,这是宁东基地开发建设20周年的传统。
刚刚过去的2022年,宁东基地经济运行稳中向好,预计全年地区生产总值达到620亿元,工业总产值接近2000亿元,固定资产投资增长15%以上,工业增加值占自治区的30%,财政总收入达到155亿元。
“要保持发展定力,把经济发展工作的着力点放在实体经济和产业项目上。”在2023年经济发展重大项目推进会上,陶少华郑重强调。
靠技术来发展 硬气
拿起遥控器,只见眼前的玻璃一会儿呈磨砂状,一会儿呈透明状,明暗变化即在瞬间。
宁夏中星显示材料有限公司的这款智能调光玻璃,通电透明,断电雾化,可用于室内空间隔断、博物馆橱窗、银行等处。
“其实就是把液晶膜安装在两层玻璃之间,高温高压加工成夹层玻璃。”该公司技术负责人陈少华说。
铆力关键核心技术,企业实现了智能调光玻璃用液晶材料产品的产业化生产,2021年销售额1.6亿元,2022年至少翻一番。
靠技术取得长足发展,宁夏中星显示材料有限公司是宁东基地的缩影。
“我们始终充分发挥企业创新主体作用,着力打赢关键核心技术攻坚战。”宁东基地科技和信息化局局长易静华表示。
该局全年新立项实施本级科技创新项目34项,争取自治区重点研发计划项目16项,在煤化工、精细化工、新材料、清洁能源等领域攻克一批技术瓶颈。
去年,宁东基地全年登记自治区科技成果36项,较上年翻了两番;完成技术合同成交额2.5亿元,同比增长20%,成绩喜人。
用科技作支撑 提气
走在宁东基地,铁塔林立,管道纵横,厂房俨然,机器轰鸣声不绝于耳。
国能宁煤集团合作开发的高性能甲醇制丙烯工业催化剂替代进口;宝丰能源集团建成全球最大的太阳能电解制氢储能及应用示范项目;宁东瑞华新材料公司研制的特种抗冻防水涂料达到国际水准……
一批新动能的催生,离不开科技持续加码。
易静华给记者摆出几组数字。2022年,宁东基地全年本级财政科技创新支出9433万元,是上年的6.5倍;争取自治区项目经费4100万元,撬动企业研发投入预计突破14亿元,较上年增长25%;预计全社会R&D投入强度达到2.27%,较自治区平均水平高0.69个百分点。
宁东基地蓬勃发展,是宁夏切实把科技创新摆在经济社会发展核心位置的写照。
连日来,自治区党委宣传部举办系列新闻发布会,对党委经济工作会议精神进行解读。
1月4日,宁夏科技厅厅长徐龙在会上表示,自治区第十三次党代会把创新驱动战略作为“五大战略”之首,为优化创新环境、激发全社会创新动力提供了更为坚实的保障。
“科技系统将扎实推进科技创新‘四大工程’,全力抓好‘双百科技支撑行动’,努力为全区经济社会高质量发展提供更有力的科技支撑。”徐龙说。(本报记者 王迎霞)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)