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.
外资机构眼中,2023年中国的投资机会在哪?******
(投资中国)外资机构眼中,2023年中国的投资机会在哪?
中新社北京1月12日电 (记者 夏宾)2023年开年,中国各大部委负责人密集发声,各地方紧锣密鼓地谋划提振经济良方,展望中国经济形势也成为近期外资机构的重点议题。他们眼中中国的投资机会在哪?
多个机构认为,房地产市场改善和消费提振有助于拉动经济。富兰克林邓普顿环球投资首席投资官Manraj Sekhon说,中国经济政策的转折点始于去年10月放宽房地产业信贷准入。中国政府对防疫政策的优化也催化了转折。政策重心重新聚焦于促进增长和提振消费信心。对市场而言,这次转向是至关重要的。
瑞士百达财富管理亚洲宏观经济研究主管陈东认为,2023年中国经济将温和反弹。
他认为,2022年底中国政府出台了一系列旨在为房地产开发商提供信贷支持的新措施。这些措施是自2021年底房地产持续探底以来最强有力的政策支持。尽管由于结构性原因楼市不太可能出现大规模反弹,但可能有助于在未来几个月稳定房地产行业。
瑞银亚洲经济研究主管、首席中国经济学家汪涛表示,2023年,中国经济有望走出疫情影响,消费出现复苏。在过去三年,中国民众储蓄率增长3至5个百分点。走出疫情后,人们可以把积压的储蓄释放出来,一些前期待释放的需求也会逐步释放出来,这将成为今年消费反弹最主要的动力。
她也预计,2023年中国房地产活动会企稳,对经济的负面影响减小。预计房地产销售量和新开工面积在最近一两个月将会见底,今年三四月份(扣除季节性因素后)开始环比出现反弹。今年全年,房地产销售量和新开工面积从当前的低谷逐渐回升,环比增长或将达到两位数。
2022年表现不佳的中国股票市场,今年能否打一场“翻身仗”?先锋领航量化股权团队另类投资与多资产策略主管徐飞认为,在股市方面,尽管美股估值相较2022年更具吸引力,但是仍然略高于先锋领航模型估算的公允价值。相比之下,中国股票目前尤其具有吸引力。
高盛策略报告将明晟(MSCI)中国指数的12个月目标从70点上调至80点,主要理由是整体估值较低,以及房地产、互联网监管等领域的多个支撑点。摩根士丹利也将MSCI中国指数的2023年年底目标上调至80点。
摩根士丹利中国首席市场策略师王滢认为,2023年中国GDP和企业利润将加速增长,中国股市有望将成为全球表现最佳的股市。其研究报告称,2023年中国的GDP和企业利润将加速增长,同时内外部风险均下降,这或将推动股票估值进一步上涨。
在进一步上调MSCI中国指数目标位时,摩根士丹利称,正在对中国股权风险溢价(ERP)重新评估,不少因素证明属于A股的牛市周期已经开启。
高盛策略团队认为,在2023年的全球背景下,中国在经济增长、政策和通胀周期方面看起来处于有利地位。“当前的市场背景让我们相信,继续减持或做空中国股票面临的风险明显高于做多中国股票。”
2022年,中美10年期国债利率出现罕见倒挂,扰动金融市场。瑞银证券中国利率市场策略分析师夏愔愔近期在一场研讨会上预计,2023年随着中美利差倒挂修复,美元相对于其他货币的强势会逆转,境外机构配置人民币债券需求有望恢复。
夏愔愔认为,2023年上半年,中国经济增速有望反弹,国债收益率有可能进一步提高,国债收益率和政策利率之间的利差可能进一步扩大,高点会触及3.25%左右;在今年下半年,中国国债收益率可能有机会再度下降,在年底可能还会进一步走低,预计大概会在2.9%左右。(完)