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.
第六届台湾创艺生活节在深圳举行“台味”十足******
中新社深圳1月8日电 题：第六届台湾创艺生活节在深圳举行“台味”十足
作者 朱族英
来自台湾阿里山的云雾高山茶、精心雕刻裁剪的金狗毛蕨纸质扩香纸、产自台湾的桧木筷子礼盒、遵循古法制墨工艺的台湾手工松烟墨条……1月6日至8日，第六届台湾创艺生活节在深圳举行。现场，近30家企业携带特色好物及文创新品亮相。
深圳市光明区台商协会秘书长张家豪在展位上向市民介绍金门高粱酒。“金门高粱酒在大陆也小有名气，这次现场展出不同包装的金门高粱酒，代表不同年份，各具收藏价值，希望让大家能够更加了解台湾的酒文化。”张家豪说。
“犀牛小强”创始人林莛埸在展位上介绍文创IP“犀牛小强”背后的故事。林莛埸说：“这是我第一次参加创艺生活节，‘犀牛小强’是自主设计的文创IP，它的犀牛角是破碎的，身上也有疤痕存在。想以此比喻创业者即使比较艰辛，会遇到很多困难，但依旧负重前行，不言弃。”
能跟大陆的朋友分享更多文创IP和创业经验，是林莛埸参加创艺生活节的动力。他表示，对在大陆创业的台湾青年而言，创艺生活节不仅提供了分享文创好物的平台，也能够分享两岸文化，增加更多互动和交流。
提到台湾美食点心，太阳饼、凤梨酥的身影必不可少。“欢迎了解台湾百年老字号陈允宝泉的太阳饼、凤梨酥。”在陈允宝泉的展位上，展位负责人高志明向路过的观众介绍这款点心的百年传承之路。高志明表示，新春佳节来临之际，此次生活节带来台中特色太阳饼，能够让大家在春节前补货多一个选择，同时希望更多人了解到台湾不同地方的特色美食。
作为创艺生活节的常客，台北市工业设计发展协会常务理事吴昊洵称，每年参加创艺生活节，都会由协会的设计师带来不同的台湾文创产品。今年则带来了桧木筷子礼盒、金狗毛蕨纸质扩香纸、带有美好祝愿的金属书签等。
吴昊洵说：“年轻人需要互相了解两岸的发展趋势，此前，我们都会带许多年轻的台湾设计师到大陆，跟大陆的年轻设计师们交流，擦出火花，带来更多原创性的文创产品、工业设计作品等。”
据悉，该活动以艺术、文化、展览、音乐、运动等元素搭建起深台两地交流交往平台。今年的台湾创艺生活节重新回归线下模式，设立台湾特色农产品、美食、文创展位，为台湾特色美食、文创精品的展示开拓空间，拉近深台民众距离、促进民间交流。(完)
