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.
做好社区居民健康的守门人******
【新春走基层】
光明日报记者 张晓华
“大爷，您先等一会儿！”元旦前一天，北京市石景山区鲁谷社区卫生服务中心家庭医生姜瑞霞正在给手头的病人看病，自从优化防疫政策以来，她每天要接诊150多个病人，竟一时没有认出“加塞”的“老主顾”。
“姜大夫，我和老伴都康复了，特地来向你表示感谢！”老人表明来意，对着姜瑞霞深深鞠躬。原来老人是姜瑞霞的签约居民，他患有慢性病的老伴儿一周前开始发烧。面对不分白天黑夜的求助电话，姜瑞霞始终耐心地询问病情、指导用药。这不，老伴儿的病刚好，老人就亲自“报喜”来了。
临走前，快80岁的老人再次鞠躬，姜瑞霞觉得一股暖流涌上心头：“所有的付出都值了。”
目前，鲁谷社区卫生服务中心共有12个家医团队，签约人口超过2.2万人，超过辖区总服务人口的40%。家庭医生在完成日常门诊工作的同时，还要承担签约居民健康状况评估、慢病随访、疫苗接种、协助转诊等重点工作。
“这个患者跟我素未谋面，除了感谢，他也对经常半夜咨询表示歉意。”姜瑞霞指着手机上的一则信息说，“疫情期间，无论是否签约，我们都会做好服务。加上2个代管的社区，我们团队现在要对接服务近万人。”
“姜医生，你必须休息。有我们在，你放心！”连续14天的高强度工作后，姜瑞霞确诊新冠阳性，高烧39℃，“被迫”居家休息。“现在医生减员严重，门诊压力大，哪怕只坚持半天，也能减轻其他同事的压力。”刚退烧，她立即返回岗位，“大家都成了钢铁战士，实在坚持不住了才会休息。”谈及团队，姜瑞霞自豪的语气中多了一丝愧疚。
“在尽快恢复正常诊疗秩序的同时，我们会尽最大可能满足社区高危人群的问诊就医需求。”随着门诊量的下降，社区卫生服务的工作重点全面转向“保健康、防重症”。家医团队会通过电话等方式对重点人群进行动态摸排和监测，对行动不便的老人实施上门评估和诊疗，定期巡检辖区内的养老机构，同时对轻症居家康复人员提供线上诊疗、随访和心理疏导等服务。
春节临近，社区卫生服务中心对备药、值班等工作做了提前部署。“家医团队会保持24小时在线，做好社区居民的健康守门人。”姜瑞霞说。
《光明日报》（ 2023年01月08日 02版）
