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.
山西多举措做好春节期间农民工返乡返岗保障工作******
中新网太原1月12日电 (杨静)记者12日从山西省人社厅获悉,该厅联合山西省民政厅、山西省交通厅、山西省总工会下发《关于进一步做好春节期间农民工返乡返岗保障工作的通知》(以下简称《通知》),多举措为农民工提供服务,让农民工安心过年,助力企业复工复产。
对春节期间留岗留工人员,用人单位要严格执行法定节假日、休息日加班工资规定,按职工本人工资标准的300%、200%支付工资报酬,各级劳动保障监察机构对拒不支付的要依法查处。对外卖、快递、网约车等平台企业从业人员劳动权益要及时保障,确保新就业形态劳动者工资报酬春节前兑付到位。
对春节期间发生工伤的,各级人社部门要建立“快理快赔快付”应急响应机制,对参加工伤保险的要及时按规定支付相关待遇,对未参加工伤保险的要督促用工单位尽快赔付等。
各户外劳动者爱心驿站要为有需要的农民工提供“累能歇脚、渴能喝水、饭能加热、伤可用药”等暖心服务;支持企业在春节期间对留岗职工开展职业技能培训,人社部门根据参加培训人数,按每人300元的标准给予企业职业技能培训补贴。
在服务保障方面,确保农民工返乡返岗有序畅通。对有集中返乡返岗需求的农民工提供“点对点”服务。乡镇(街道)就业服务站要公布联系方式,组织专人对有需求的农民工及时提供帮助。省外务工人员服务工作站要为有需求的晋籍务工人员提供返乡服务和困难帮扶。
同时,要拓宽帮扶渠道,确保农民工就业服务应享尽享。各级公共就业服务机构要提供线上线下专场招聘服务,开展家政进社区等活动,为有就业意愿的农民工至少提供一次职业介绍服务。
各级零工市场要及时发布各类零工信息,对寻求零工的困难农民工提供帮扶,协调解决食宿等基本生活困难;鼓励各级劳务品牌、省校合作基地等积极承担社会责任,发挥示范带头作用,对有需求的农民工提供岗位推荐、组织输出等服务,协助做好农民工返乡返岗服务保障工作等。
在欠薪治理方面,确保农民工及时足额拿到工资。对发现农民工工资未按时足额支付以及农民工投诉举报的欠薪线索,要当日启动调查、三日内解决,支付确有困难的要及时动用工资保证金或应急周转金先行垫付。
同时,对未按期解决的严肃实施约谈问责,对欠薪企业从严从重处罚。春节前实行每日调度报告,确保欠薪问题动态清零。
此外,《通知》要求,各级人社部门要积极协调财政、银行等部门,确保全省企业职工和城乡居民养老保险待遇在1月16日前全部足额发放到位,工伤保险、失业保险待遇在春节前发放到位。(完)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)