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.
2022年广东新登记个体工商户达146.95万户******
中新网广州1月30日电 (记者 许青青)记者30日从广东省市场监督管局获悉,去年广东新登记个体工商户达到146.95万户。截至目前,广东省个体工商户带动就业人数达2500万。
广东省市场监督管局党组书记、局长刘光明表示,个体工商户作为广东重要的市场主体,在繁荣经济、增加就业、推动创业创新、方便群众生活等方面发挥着重要作用,个体工商户的健康发展是稳增长稳就业的底气所在,也是推动高质量发展的韧性所在。
他介绍,为更好帮助全省个体工商户健康发展,广东省政府办公厅近日印发《广东省培育扶持个体工商户若干措施》(下称《若干措施》),通过加大针对性的政策供给,进一步提振个体工商户的经营信心。
据悉,《若干措施》整合了市场监管、税务、银行、财政、人社、发改等多个部门的最新扶持措施,从6个方面提出了31条具体的举措:首先,在降低个体工商户经营成本方面,通过降低失业、工伤保险费率,缓缴社会保险费,降低水电气及经营场所使用成本,强化保险保障作用等政策措施,帮助个体工商户减轻经营负担。第二,强化个体工商户金融扶持,通过降低支付手续费用提供更多信贷支持,降低个体工商户的融资成本,推进实施创业担保贷款以及贴息政策,加强征信管理服务,便利外汇业务线上办理等政策措施,为个体工商户提供更多的金融支持。
第三,减轻个体工商户税费负担,抓实增值税期末留抵退税、增值税减免及优惠、契税优惠,顶格实施“六税两费”减免,顶格实施重点群体税收减免等政策,加大对个体工商户的支持。第四,优化个体工商户营商环境,明确支持个体工商户直接变更经营者,落实港澳台居民申办个体工商户的政策,推进市场监管领域信用监管,营造公平有序的市场环境等。
第五,拓展个体工商户发展空间,从持续加大个转企支持力度,支持发展线上商业模式,提升个体工商户质量管理水平,提高知识产权能力,加强标准化服务等。第六,加大对个体工商户的服务供给,通过开展职业技能培训,支持个体工商户创新创业、支持退役军人创业等。
刘光明表示,《若干措施》是“真金白银”的投入,力求精准务实,“希望通过31条的具体举措,既能够着眼当下,又能够着眼长远来鼓励扶持个体工商户的发展。”(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)