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.
教你五步把疼痛说清楚******
人在一生中或多或少都会经历疼痛困扰,91%的中国人经历过身体疼痛,34%的人每周都会经历身体疼痛。很多疾病最初被发现也是因为疼痛。能够正确描述你的疼痛有助于医生更准确找到背后的原因。然而,很多患者花费了很多时间也说不清自己怎么个痛法。
本周是中国镇痛周,学会下面“5步描述法”,您就对自己的疼痛情况掌握得八九不离十了。如果您还会自备一个笔记本,并能动态记录疼痛的变化,那就更能让医生迅速读懂你的痛!
第一步:告诉医生疼痛的部位
是脖梗子、肋叉(三声)子、胯骨轴子,还是波棱盖儿、脚脖子?如果说不清楚,可以当场掀开衣服给医生看。
如果是线上复诊的患友,可以画张示意图或者找张人体照片标记出疼痛的部位,帮助医生理解。
第二步:想想疼痛时间与频率
“持续时间”是指疼痛第一次出现的时间,是一周前、两月前、半年前、还是五年前。
“发作频率”是指一直痛(持续性)还是一阵儿一阵儿的,也就是阵发性的。如果是阵发性的,那么每次发作时间有多长,每阵发作间隔有多长。
很多患者不知道的是,有时候经过治疗,疼痛的程度也许缓解不明显,但是发作频率降低、发作时间缩短,也是病情改善的标志。
第三步:试着描述一下疼痛的性质
这就是医生口中常问的“怎么个疼法儿”?
表达能力强的患者,通常会给出各种各样有意思的形容。比较具有代表性以及专业性的描述大致如下,大家对号入座即可:酸痛、胀痛、火烧痛、针扎痛、串电痛、蚂蚁爬、绞痛、一碰就痛、刀割痛……
第四步:进阶到描述“疼痛的程度”
这便是俗称的“有多痛”。
向医生形容有多痛,可以利用视觉模拟量表给疼痛程度进行打分。如果我们将疼痛程度分为10级,最痛打10分,完全不痛打0分,从无痛、轻微疼痛、轻度疼痛、中度疼痛、重度疼痛到剧烈疼痛,您的疼痛程度可以打几分?
如果还是不能理解或者不好描述的话,简单告诉医生,夜间是否影响睡觉、白天是否影响工作生活也是可以的。
第五步:回忆诱因及影响疼痛因素
“诱因”指的是首次出现症状时可能的诱发原因,比如劳累、剧烈运动、外伤……
“加重或缓解因素”指的是疼痛出现以后,什么情况下会轻一点,什么情况下会重一点。比如休息、弯腰、排便、用药之后会好一些;按压、运动、睡眠不足之后会加重等。
文/崔旭蕾 陈思(北京协和医院)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)