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.
（新春走基层）海拔4800多米 5位“90后”守护青藏铁路春运****** 中新网拉萨1月31日电 题：海拔4800多米 5位“90后”守护青藏铁路春运 作者 四朗卓嘎 马生明 “嘀嗒、嘀嗒……”1月28日8时20分，一阵闹钟声划破了寂静的青藏铁路那曲信号车间扎加藏布信号工区宿舍，“90后”工长杨建青翻身关掉闹铃，起床后摘掉鼻子上的氧气管，开始了一天在海拔4800多米地区的工作、生活。 中国铁路青藏集团有限公司拉萨基础设施段5名“90”后，坚守在全国海拔最高的铁路工区扎加藏布信号工区，担负唐古拉南、扎加藏布、雪查玛3个平均海拔4800多米的“云端小站”36架信号机、14组道岔、30个轨道电路等信号设备的日常维护及故障处理工作。  工长杨建青洗漱完后涂抹防晒霜，其身边是一个氧气瓶，日常吸氧是在海拔4800多米地区生活的日常。 马生明 摄“高原紫外线强、风沙大，一天不涂防晒霜，脸上的皮就会脱落。”杨建青洗漱后，回到宿舍厚厚涂抹了三层防晒霜，同时唤醒还在熟睡的工友们。 几位“天路医生”坚守在缺氧的高原，吃饭、睡觉、行走所消耗的精力常人难以想象，他们通过勤监测、勤巡视、勤分析的“三勤”进行设备养护工作，护航青藏铁路春运。 9时许，第一缕阳光照射在扎加藏布信号工区院内。今年24岁的莫文跟着工长杨建青在工区信号设备集中监测室，查看分析三个站室内外信号设备的基本运行状态。随之，二人穿着厚厚的棉服，迎着朝阳前往扎加藏布站开展室外设备巡视作业，通过瞭望线路上的信号设备，查看信号机械室道岔缺口等关键设备数据变化，确保春运期间设备安全稳定运行。  冬季西藏那曲寒风凛冽，工长杨建青(右)加固道岔安装螺丝。 马生明 摄10时20分，巡视完信号设备后，二人返回工区吃饭。如今，这处超高海拔地区工区已修葺一新，职工活动室、学习室、宿舍区、小食堂等配套设施齐全。性格内向的莫文是工区里离家最远、年龄最小的职工，平日里，大家都对他照顾有加。 扎加藏布信号工区所在的羌塘草原人迹罕至，只有常年的狂风。“大家吃过饭后都回宿舍再吸一会氧气，然后准备今天的‘天窗’作业。”杨建青说，出工前吸氧、睡觉吸氧、看书吸氧……这样的场景，是扎加藏布信号工区的日常。 吸完氧后，杨建青带领4名作业人员快速将机料具装上车，先沿着青藏铁路驱车近二十分钟，而后跨穿过铁路涵洞，沿着一段坑坑洼洼的土路向作业地点挺进，一个小时后才抵达雪查玛站。 15时10分，在设置好防护作业后，“天窗”作业命令下达，职工们有序进入防护网，按照分工分别展开作业。杨建青跪在2号道岔旁，俯下身子，仔细查看道岔尖轨是否存在翘头等情况，并在随身携带的本子上详细记录发现的问题。  1月28日，防护员马雷福在作业现场做防护记录。 马生明 摄“今天还算暖和，风不大，平日里检修设备，大风吹得眼睛睁不开，鼻涕也擦不完，冻得直哆嗦。”杨建青边检查边说。因为长期在高海拔地区，他面色黝黑，脸上都是被紫外线灼伤的痕迹。 在信号机旁，现场防护员马雷福正通过对讲机和室内驻站联络员肖本强通话，并在本子上详细记录。  图为傍晚作业结束返回工区的便道。 马生明 摄17时30分，“天路医生”们经过检修养护，顺利完成了当天的“天窗”工作。据悉，春运期间该工区安全工作标准分毫不减，每周一课、每月一会的学习如常进行。(完)
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