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.
来华留学生“兔年说心愿”：成为说汉语的老挝铁路人******
中新网兰州1月31日电 (记者 丁思)今年是21岁的兰州交通大学老挝籍留学生PICKDA SOUKHASEUM(中文名：宋莲)在中国度过的第四个春节。谈及兔年心愿，就读于该校物流管理专业的她近日接受中新社、中新网记者专访说：“希望能够将所学专业知识运用于实践，毕业后能够在老中铁路物流公司就业，成为说汉语的老挝铁路人。”
2022年12月，中老铁路通车运营一周年。一年来，累计发送旅客850万人次，累计运输货物超千万吨，跨境货物超190万吨，国际货运总值突破百亿元人民币。
兰州交通大学是中国西北地区唯一的铁路高校，地处丝绸之路甘肃黄金段，立足区域培养大交通建设急需的国际化人才。该校也持续为中老铁路提供人才和技术支撑，许多该校培养的老挝籍留学生正在为中老铁路贡献力量。
宋莲2019年“慕名而来”甘肃省会兰州。“中国的高铁建设、交通发展很快速，来中国前就听说要建设中老铁路，这样会给我们带来很多的工作机会。”她说，现在的留学生来中国，不仅要学习汉语，更要学习技术。
截至目前，兰州交通大学已累计培养来自67个国家1738名国际人才。图为留学生正在写春联、福字。 李亚龙 摄在学校今年组织的春节联欢会上，宋莲用流利的汉语和老师交谈，还会熟练用毛笔书写春联、福字。
“我对中文很感兴趣，课后多和中国学生聊天，汉语也就慢慢好起来了。”她说，中国的发展速度越来越快，城市交通建设、电子商务等有很多变化，希望能将在中国所学的知识带回国，促进多领域交流合作。
截至目前，兰州交通大学已累计培养来自67个国家1738名国际人才，其中“一带一路”沿线国家学历生1200余人。留学生校友分布在五大洲60余个国家，从事中文教育、中外贸易等工作，还有的在政府机关工作任职。
“轨道交通、交通运输、土木工程等专业，受到来华留学生欢迎。”兰州交通大学国际教育学院副院长李欣介绍说，该校老挝籍校友达70余人，在中老铁路线上工作的校友有30余人，他们深入铁路一线建设、从事车站运营与管理，还有为中老铁路输送人才的铁路园丁，他们为中老铁路建设和服务倾情奉献，成为彼此交流合作的桥梁。(完)
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