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.
关注新型信息消费新动向******
关注新型信息消费新动向
洪群联
春节是传统消费旺季，也是信息消费集中释放的时期。随着疫情防控优化措施全面落地，人们回乡过年、探亲访友、旅游观光等需求集中释放，由此带来信息消费蓬勃发展。工业和信息化部发布的数据显示，2023年春节假期全国5G移动互联网用户接入流量比上年同期增长了103%，5G正在加速融入百姓的日常生活，成为拉动新型信息消费的重要方式，也创造了更加丰富的消费产品以及更加便捷的消费体验。
新型信息消费群体更加庞大。春节期间，不仅年轻人群对5G技术的使用程度进一步加深，而且越来越多银发族和农村人也主动拥抱互联网，享受5G带来的智能生活便利。近年来，我国高度重视5G普惠发展，加速推进智能终端、信息网站、APP等适老化、无障碍化改造，广大农民群体和老年人群对智能手机的接受程度和应用技术持续提升，“数字鸿沟”不断弥合。与春运前相比，春节期间全国4G/5G网络流量提升超过20%的行政村总数超过18万个。目前，我国拥有全球规模最大的5G信息消费群体，为新型信息消费发展奠定了坚实庞大的用户基础。我国即将迈入高收入国家行列，伴随居民收入水平提升和消费结构升级，我国信息消费能力日益增强，将为5G新型信息服务创造巨大的市场需求。
新型信息消费业态更加多样。春节期间，广大人民群众通过移动终端开展网络拜年，联络感情，在线观看各类短视频和文娱节目，进行网络点餐，通过移动支付购买年货等商品。返乡、异地和跨城出行大幅增加，在线预约租车和预订酒店、门票等成为普遍选择。各地纷纷开展“信息消费体验周”“5G消费券”等活动，引导消费者感受信息消费全新体验。信息服务企业加大智慧家庭、视频彩铃等基于新兴技术的产品创新和业务营销，拉动信息消费升级。随着5G技术不断发展成熟，及其在文化、旅游、教育等领域广泛应用，超高清显示、高清同步课堂等信息服务产品快速发展，线上线下融合新场景展现巨大潜力，网上购物、远程教育、智能家居等行业方兴未艾。我国新型信息产品的供给能力和供给质量正在不断提升，5G新型信息消费将以高质量高效率的发展态势丰富着人们的消费选择。
新型信息消费地域更加广阔。春节期间，广大消费者切身感受到，不论是一二线大城市还是小镇、乡村，不论是工厂、商场还是田间地头，身处何时何地都可以便捷通畅地使用5G网络。近年来，我国稳妥有序加强5G、工业互联网等新型基础设施建设布局和融合应用，截至2022年底，我国累计建成并开通5G基站231.2万个，基站总量占全球60%以上，实现了“县县通5G、村村通宽带”。特别是结合主要交通干线，在机场、高铁、高速等热点枢纽站点布局建设了一批移动通信基站，基本实现5G网络覆盖春节返乡路，让春运的网络之路更好更快。“十四五”时期，我国将推动5G网络覆盖所有城市及县城，并以需求为导向，逐步推进5G网络和千兆光网向乡村延伸，5G信息服务消费的地域空间将大大扩展。
信息消费、数字消费是当前和今后一个时期增长迅速、创新活跃、辐射广泛的消费领域之一，以5G、人工智能、大数据、云计算等新技术推动信息消费加速进入发展新阶段，已成为引领消费的重要引擎以及拉动内需的重要动力。我国正在加快5G网络规模化部署，构建基于5G的应用场景和产业生态，5G结合各行各业所催生的新模式、新业态、新场景，将促进供需对接更加精准，加速线上线下消费融合，为消费者提供更多个性化、定制化的商品和服务。未来，要充分发挥我国5G产业链的体系化领先优势，推动城乡新型基础设施提速升级，加快信息终端普及和升级，以科技赋能引领信息产品和服务迭代创新，加速数字消费场景落地，最大程度释放信息消费潜力，将5G转化为扩大内需和改善民生的强大动能。
