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.
（新春见闻）台商返乡过年：讲述打拼故事，期盼春暖花开******
中新社北京1月22日电 题：台商返乡过年：讲述打拼故事，期盼春暖花开
作者 朱贺
随着两岸防疫措施的调整，许多在大陆打拼的台商在今年新春假期返台过年。
吃到久违的家乡味，陪长辈采买年货，和老友相约聚餐……多位台商接受中新社记者采访表示，他们在行李箱中装满了为家乡亲友准备的心意，一同带去的还有在大陆的收获，在团圆气氛中，一家人共盼新年春暖花开。
李绍嬅：用点心串联两岸之爱
大年初一，在北京经营“彩虹天使咖啡屋”的店主李绍嬅一家穿上喜庆的红衣，带上各式礼品从台北回到高雄老家向长辈拜年。与家人围炉谈天、重温台湾年味，李绍嬅讲述了这一年在大陆打拼的故事。
2022年，李绍嬅所在的这家由听障烘焙师为主要员工的咖啡屋迎来许多新变化：听障师傅的手艺不断提升，开发了更多点心品类；越来越多爱心人士不仅为咖啡屋提供公益支持，也关注听障师傅的成长。
返乡的行李箱中，李绍嬅装满了来自咖啡屋的点心，她认为是“最珍贵、温暖又真实的新年礼物”。
走在台北街头，看到许多老牌店铺受疫情影响关门歇业，李绍嬅感觉家乡的模样“有点模糊”；重逢久别的老友，则让她找回了往日的熟悉感。
“许多台湾的爱心人士未曾到过大陆，但一直关心着咖啡屋。”李绍嬅说，有八十多岁的老奶奶赶来和她见面，表示愿为咖啡屋尽一份心；也有朋友为了解咖啡屋的故事，专门下载大陆社交软件。
李绍嬅期待，接下来继续坚守创立咖啡屋的初心，串联起更多两岸之爱。
徐韬：公司已走过艰难时刻
“北漂一族”台青徐韬赶在春节前回到台北，“今年一落地就能和家人相聚，感觉团圆氛围格外浓”。
除夕吃年夜饭，徐韬与家人收看了大陆春节联欢晚会；正月初二、初三走亲访友，他打算分享从北京带来的特产和创业新收获。
2022年，由徐韬和大陆伙伴创办的网约工作平台成功获得融资，并将业务从北京拓展至上海、深圳等地，他表示，“尽管公司曾受疫情波及，但已走过艰难时刻，我对未来充满信心”。
这个春节，平台恢复了往日的忙碌。徐韬说，仅2023年元旦三天，平台订单量就已达去年12月的两倍，“在一定程度上反映了线下消费市场的活力，展现大陆经济的韧性”。
返乡前一周，徐韬走访了大陆四个省份，为新年在各地成立分公司做准备。他说，能在大陆经济复苏过程中提供灵活就业岗位，感觉自己做了小小贡献，“特别有成就感、参与感”。
陈圣儒：见证民众养老观念变迁
带着北京冬奥吉祥物“冰墩墩”和兔年特别版“兔墩墩”回到云林老家，台湾青年陈圣儒有些近乡情怯，“既期待又有点害怕”；听见年逾九旬的阿公用闽南话喊出自己的小名，他的心中暖意涌动。
从小在长辈身边长大，陈圣儒对年长者有天然的亲近。如今在北京延庆从事养老行业已有五年，他所在的五家养老驿站获得了北京市星级评定。在京郊乡村走访，他教会村中长辈收发快递、打视频电话，“真正有融入当地的感觉”。
“从前想着将台湾的养老理念照搬至大陆，后来发现需求因人而异。”陈圣儒表示，大陆经济飞速发展，智能化和网络化加速了民众需求的个性化，大家更注重活得健康、活出质量。
回顾此前在大陆过年，陈圣儒除体验吃饺子等北方年俗，也会与海峡对岸的家人视频连线，相约“云”喝酒，分享生活趣事，“尽管见不到面，但心的距离始终没变”。如今面对面团圆，陈圣儒打算暂时放下工作，专心陪伴阿公阿嬷。
说起新年愿望，陈圣儒期待有更多人走出家门，“无论年轻人还是长辈，旅游也好，采摘也好，总之要热情拥抱即将到来的春天”。(完)
