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.
以网络文学书写时代的壮丽多姿******
【新时代新征程新伟业】
光明日报记者 刘江伟
不久前,由国家新闻出版署组织实施的2021年“优秀现实题材和历史题材网络文学出版工程”入选作品揭晓,阅文平台的《故巷暖阳》《投行之路》等作品榜上有名。
“书里的大部分情节就是我的生活。”《投行之路》作者“离月上雪”把亲身经历融汇在真实案例中,在逻辑严密的叙事中,再现了投行新人的晋级之路,呼应着青春、创业、奋斗的时代主题。
“一位好作家也应该是一位时代的记录者。”“离月上雪”认为,摄影师用相机给眼前的画面拍照,而作家是用文字给我们所处的时代“拍照”。
网络文学日益受大众青睐。超千万人的创作队伍、超千万部的网络作品,构成了当下文艺百花园的璀璨奇观。党的十八大以来,时代巨变为网络文学创作提供了无比丰富的素材,书写现实、表现生活,成为网文创作的重要主题。
日前,记者走进阅文集团、晋江文学城等网络文学创作平台,感受网络作家蓬勃的创作热情,体会以网文展现时代变迁的力量脉动。
今年9月,第六届现实题材网络文学征文大赛在上海闭幕,14部获奖作品以个体的温情和时代的细节,共同汇聚起人民眼中的“非凡变革”。
“各行各业的工作者,把创作的触角延伸向宽广的生活现场,让网络文学成为人民奋斗和时代创作最即时的记录者。”阅文集团首席执行官程武表示。
2015年,在上海市新闻出版局的支持下,阅文集团在业内率先举办首届现实题材网络文学征文大赛,掀开了网络文学发展新的一页。大赛至今已举办六届,累计参赛作品近10万部,现实题材在网络文学创作中的影响力持续扩大,关注时代、关注社会、关注民生的创作蔚然成风。
网络作家李全参与了2022年的征文大赛,现实题材创作给他带来满满的获得感。据他观察,现实题材之所以逐步成为主流,主要在于其取材自真实生活,用代入感取代悬浮感,使得普通读者能够用自己的视角去阅读,仿佛看自己身边的人和事,进而从中看到自己的无限可能。
党的二十大报告指出,讲好中国故事、传播好中国声音,展现可信、可爱、可敬的中国形象。近年来,网络文学成为中国文化走出去的生力军。2021年,网络文学海外市场规模突破30亿元,中国网络文学共向海外输出网文作品1万余部。
“未来,我们将持续倡导现实题材网文创作,鼓励各行各业从业者以网络文学为载体,通过现实向、常态化而又带有艺术色彩的设定表现当代生活和社会风貌。同时,持续布局网文出海全产业链发展,让全球读者通过网络文学及其改编作品深入了解中国的人文精神和时代风貌。”程武说。
打开晋江文学城网站,“奋斗乐章”四个大字赫然在目。为了倡导和鼓励现实题材创作,晋江文学城开展了年度主题征文活动。活动被细化为乡村之章、行业之章等8个方向,让每个作者可以从中寻找到擅长的领域。
晋江文学城初步统计,征文活动共吸引3000余部作品参赛,网站遴选近百部优秀作品进行推介,在作者群中引发了爱国奋斗主题创作热潮。
近年来,为了让现实题材作品抵达更多受众,晋江文学城对优质作品进行重点IP转化推荐。目前平台上作品呈现类型多元化的形态,既有出版、影视等传统改编形式,又有动漫、游戏、有声读物、广播剧等新兴改编形式,还有动态漫画、剧本杀剧本等最新改编类型,涉及版权转化的作品超1万部。
晋江文学城副总裁胡慧娟表示,晋江文学城将加强对网络作家专业知识培训与引导,培育求真求实、言之有物的创作品格。同时,对现实题材重点作品进行重点关注,在IP改编上重点推荐,并将成功改编案例进行宣传,发挥其标杆效应和榜样作用。
《光明日报》( 2022年12月30日 04版)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)