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.
明天,悬念揭晓!******
文/王恩博
明天,全球的中国经济关注者将把目光投向北京西长安街11号。
1月17日上午10时,国务院新闻办公室将举行新闻发布会,介绍2022年国民经济运行情况。届时,中国全年GDP增速、人口总量、人均收入、就业情况等核心经济数据将公布。
在这个遭遇多重超预期因素冲击的年份,中国经济将如何交卷?从近期各方面陆续公布一些先行指标中,或能看出一些端倪。
外贸规模创历史新高
外贸是疫情以来中国经济增长的重要支撑。2022年,面对复杂严峻的国内外形势,中国外贸在2021年高基数基础上继续保持稳定增长,规模再创历史新高。
分季度看,2022年一、二季度进出口总值分别超过9万亿元和10万亿元,三季度更增至11.3万亿元,创季度规模历史高点,四季度继续保持11万亿元水平。
整体来看,去年中国外贸规模首次突破40万亿元关口、连续6年保持货物贸易第一大国地位、出口国际市场份额连续14年居全球首位。这份成绩单依然可以用“亮眼”形容。
不过,随着主要经济体持续收紧货币政策,国际需求明显走弱,中国外贸仍然面临挑战。中国银行研究院认为,2022年末中国出口增速有所放缓,国际需求走弱、疫情扰乱生产秩序是主要原因。
在国内经济恢复基础尚不牢固、外部环境动荡不安的背景下,2022年中国出口规模创历史新高,反映出口竞争力和韧性犹在。预计2023年全球经济衰退风险上升、外需不足将使出口增速承压,但供应链完整、稳定有望助力中国出口份额维持稳定。
金融数据平稳收官
金融数据方面,2022年也实现“平稳收官”。
2022年12月末,中国广义货币M2同比增长11.8%,增速比上月末低0.6个百分点,比上年同期高2.8个百分点,市场流动性继续保持合理充裕。
中国民生银行首席经济学家温彬分析称,2022年以来,在稳增长基调下,货币和财政政策持续协同发力,基础货币投放加大,市场流动性维持充裕,M2增速达到近6年来最高水平;后期伴随财政支出力度放缓等,M2增速虽有所回落,但仍维持在较高水平。
新增信贷数据也有积极表现。2022年12月份,中国人民币贷款增加1.4万亿元,同比多增2665亿元。去年全年,人民币贷款增加21.31万亿元,同比多增1.36万亿元。
展望2023年,温彬认为,信用扩张有望继续加力提效,在稳增长、扩内需诉求和海外加息约束弱化下,今年货币政策将维持稳健宽松格局,聚焦扩大有效需求和深化供给侧结构性改革;同时继续呈现总量型和结构性并举的特征,降准降息仍有空间,实体经济融资成本保持在较低区间,以巩固经济回稳向上基础。
2023年中国经济有望迎反弹
除了外贸和金融领域外,还有一些数据释放出积极信号。
中央财经委员会办公室分管日常工作的副主任韩秀文此前撰文透露,尽管2022年经济增长速度与预期目标存在差距,但其他多项指标较好完成,一些面向未来的结构性指标有突出表现。
例如,预计2022年经济总量超过120万亿元。产业升级取得积极进展,新能源汽车产销量和出口量均为世界第一,特别是出口达到70万辆、增长超过1倍。粮食产量连续八年保持在1.3万亿斤以上。在全球通胀创40多年新高的情况下,中国物价总水平保持平稳,居民消费价格上涨2%左右,粮食安全、能源安全和人民生活得到有效保障。
在此背景下,官方综合研判,2023年世界经济增速可能明显下滑,而中国经济有望总体回升,形成一个独立的向上运行轨迹。汇丰环球研究大中华区首席经济学家刘晶也表示,经济重启是2023年的关键主题,预计在短暂过渡期后,中国经济增长将从明年第二季度开始强劲反弹。
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)