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.
上博东馆打造“开放型博物馆”******
在浦东新区花木社区,上海博物馆东馆正拔地而起。
步入场馆内部,与常见的博物馆不同,这里采用了开放式设计,其中多处设计别有洞天。
据了解,上博东馆预计今年年底开门迎接参观者。
“不像传统博物馆”
上博东馆建筑高度近45米,地上6层包括展示陈列、公众服务、库房及办公用房;地下2层则主要为学术报告厅、影院、活动教室等。
许多人印象中的博物馆,一般都采取了封闭式设计,大量采用人工照明,光线昏暗,而且空调温度偏低。据业内人士透露,其中重要原因是要确保文物安全。一些参观者趣言,“走进博物馆,就像走进尘封的历史”。
但许多经过上博东馆的人,对这一建筑的第一印象是“不像传统博物馆”。据介绍,外立面蜿蜒起伏的曲线,在设计上暗合上海这座城市“海陆交汇”的地理位置,也象征“勇立潮头”的精神。建筑内部设计与功能组织,也一改常见的博物馆封闭式流线设计,与城市空间有了更紧密的联系,力图为市民带来一座“开放型博物馆”。
走进上博东馆一楼连廊区域,顶部是一个174平方米的椭圆形玻璃穹顶,40米挑高的大厅,顶部玻璃穹顶达632平方米,建筑四面都设置了一定高度的玻璃幕墙,还有敞开式空间与外界连通,阳光能从四面八方透进博物馆内。上海博物馆馆长褚晓波表示,“我们在符合文物保护要求的前提下,希望有自然光透进来,这样观众在博物馆里参观会有多样性的感受。”
上博东馆西临杨高南路、北至世纪大道、东面是丁香路,与上海科技馆、东方艺术中心隔街相望。观众在博物馆里,不再仅仅是“进入尘封的历史”,也能从不同角度远眺城市景观、感受城市的脉动,让历史与当代生活交流共鸣。
据悉,由于建造年代等原因,上博人民广场馆没有设计专用通道,文物运输一般在晚上。而上博东馆将设置员工、文物专用通道,与观众通道分开,在不打扰观众参观的情况下大大提高文物运输的安全性。据透露,过去布展时曾发生过的拆门以搬运大体量文物的情形将成为历史。
多处设计“别有洞天”
一些途经上博东馆的市民发现,透过长方形外立面镂空的开放空间,能看到中间环绕而上的坡道。
据了解,这其实是一种传承。1996年开放的上博人民广场馆,建筑造型一大亮点是方形基座上托起圆柱形顶部,取“天圆地方”之意。而东馆的建筑主体呈矩形体块,中间嵌入圆形的旋转坡道,也是方和圆的结合。
东馆中间这一旋转坡道,其实是三楼通向五楼的休闲步道,开放后,这一巨型的旋转坡道很可能会成为上海新晋“网红打卡点”。
在靠近旋转坡道的区域,开放度更高,未来将开设一个针对少年儿童的探索宫。据透露,不同于一般的文物展厅,上博将在探索宫里融入“探索”理念,推出将人文、艺术、文明等内容结合在一起的项目,帮助少年儿童学习知识、拓展眼界、丰富体验,启发他们的探究性思维。
占地数千平方米的五楼露天区域则将复制仿造一组江南园林建筑,也是室内展厅向室外的延伸。观众在四楼展厅参观完江南文化主题展,可以步行至五楼,在园林的亭台楼阁之间眺望周围的城市脉动。上博颇受欢迎的“博物馆奇妙夜”活动,今后也将安排在这里举行。
上海博物馆前任馆长杨志刚曾透露过一段趣事:他在医院看病时,医生看到其病历卡上显示单位是上海博物馆,于是跟他说,“第一次谈朋友的地方就在你们上博。”
这让杨志刚感慨,未来观众除了参观展览,还能在博物馆空间里享受休闲、社交、餐饮等更多体验,“博物馆的功能应该是复合的,这就要求在建筑的布局、空间的营造里把它们充分考虑进去,让观众喜欢来且愿意经常来。”
“发掘呈现上海的文化”
据了解,上博东馆有大小展厅20余个,还设有大量教育体验场地,展示陈列区面积达3.36万平方米,预期每年观众接待量达500万人次。
据褚晓波介绍,上海博物馆以打造“世界顶级的中国古代艺术博物馆”为发展目标,上博东馆的建设也将坚持这一定位。未来将在上博东馆构建起以中国古代文化主题为核心的展陈体系,以常设展为主,为观众呈现海内外体系完整、脉络清晰、史料翔实、叙事生动的中国古代艺术通史陈列,以及海派与江南文化、中外文化交流、互动体验四大系列。其中,青铜馆、书法馆、绘画馆、印章馆是海内外唯一的常设通史陈列场馆。
“上海博物馆虽然是一个面向全球的博物馆,但是它既然扎根本土、位于上海,我们理应发掘呈现上海的文化。”褚晓波表示,未来在上博东馆举办的许多展览并不是按照文物材质来展示,而是按照主题来演绎,常设主题中的展品内容、角度会定期调整。(简工博)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)