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.
浙江今年粮食作物总产量124.2亿斤 多措并举守住粮食安全******
浙江某地农田。 浙江省农业农村厅供图
中新网杭州12月28日电 (钱晨菲)“今年晚稻生长季，整整四十多天没下雨真令人着急。好在政府给我们安排了技术指导、保险理赔、水利灌溉等多个专家服务组下乡指导。今年我承包的6000亩粮田，可生产稻谷330万公斤左右。”浙江省嘉兴市秀洲区新塍镇万民村种粮大户黄金林说。据了解，截至目前，秀洲区已有13万亩晚稻颗粒归仓。
如何牢牢稳住粮食安全这块“压舱石”？浙江交出了答卷。日前，国家统计局浙江调查总队发布统计数据显示：2022年，浙江粮食总播种面积1530.7万亩，比去年增长超20万亩；亩均产量405.7公斤，较去年略有下降；粮食作物总产量124.2亿斤，与去年持平。
“持平”，看似平淡，实则来之不易。
回望2022年，疫情多点散发，夏秋季出现持续高温干旱天气……“面对多重困难和挑战，浙江粮食生产交出了较好的答卷。”浙江省农业农村厅种植业处有关负责人表示，该省通过“用增量补损失”，持续深入推进“非粮化”整治，挖掘粮食扩种空间，大力推广高产优质品种和绿色增产增效种植技术，扩面积、增产量、提品质、保效益、育动能，守住粮食安全。
124.2亿斤，这是“抢”回来的收成，更是一份沉甸甸的答卷。
今年以来，浙江全省各地全面落实粮食安全党政同责，多措并举提高粮食综合产能，一季接着一季、一个田块接着一个田块抓动员、抓部署、抓落实。今年7至8月，持续炎热天气“暴击”浙江，直接影响单季晚稻幼穗分化和连作晚稻秧苗生长。面对高温干旱，该省各级农业农村部门联合应急、气象等部门，及时开展旱情调查和人工降雨作业，同时印发多个抗高温干旱技术指导意见，组织农技专家上门“问诊”，查苗情、查墒情，精准“把脉”、广辟水源、缓解旱情。该省累计派出服务组5242人次，服务主体5682家次。
耕地是粮食生产的“命根子”。今年以来，浙江坚决稳妥有力推进粮食生产功能区整治优化。截至12月16日，该省完成粮食生产功能区整治优化223.5万亩，已基本完成整治优化任务。同时加强粮食生产功能区整治优化后地块的适粮化改造，推进沟、路、渠等基础设施改造提升。如今，一批批路相通、渠相连、旱能灌、涝能排的优质高产农田在“浙”里建成。
答卷背后，是“真金白银”的投入。今年，浙江省财政对50亩以上粮油规模种植主体每亩补助120元；对订单收购小麦、早稻、晚稻每百斤分别奖励30元、30元和20元，其中早稻订单收购实现全覆盖。各地更是在浙江省级政策“礼包”基础上，纷纷“加码”。如杭州市本级安排种粮直补资金3600万元，比上年增加966万元，种粮大户平均直补达每亩381元；绍兴市越城区给予早稻机械插秧每亩补贴60元，配方肥补助从每吨300元提高到500元……
浙江某地农田。 浙江省农业农村厅供图
“在持续抓好既有政策落实的基础上，我省又突破创新三项政策。”浙江省农业农村厅有关处室负责人介绍，该省启动实施了省级规模种粮动态补贴，根据种粮成本监测，确定今年省级规模种粮动态补贴为每亩22元；稻谷最低收购价在国家基础上每百斤增加4元，是稻谷最低收购价最高的省份之一；实行全省域水稻完全成本保险，保障程度从最高每亩1000元提高到1400元。
答卷背后，更是强有力的“智慧”支撑。记者从浙江省农技推广中心了解到，今年以来，该省层层组织开展粮食绿色高产创建，建设部级粮食绿色高质高效行动示范县9个，省级粮食绿色高产高效示范片(攻关方)383个，推广稻田综合种养技术模式60多万亩，亩均增收2000元以上。同时，大力推广水稻叠盘出苗育秧等高产高效技术，提高新品种、新技术、新模式集成应用效果。
良种良法配套，农机农艺融合。目前，浙江农机装备总量持续增加，农机作业水平快速提高，越来越多“科技味”在田垄间体现。浙江省畜牧农机发展中心相关负责人介绍，浙江今年累计投入联合收割机和插秧机3.1万台套，累计已机收水稻近990.5万亩，收获机械化率达96%；建立农机应急作业服务队167支，为疫情管控地区作业服务2.6万亩。(完)
