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.
她是“世界三大高香红茶”之一 如今插上了科技的“翅膀”******
11月29日,“中国传统制茶技艺及其相关习俗”列入了联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录,祁门红茶制作技艺也在其中。得知这个消息后,祁门红茶制作技艺国家级代表性传承人王昶激动得几乎一夜未眠,“借这次东风,要加大宣传,到国外去做一些推广,让大家知道祁门红茶,了解祁门红茶,喝到祁门红茶。”
萎凋
王昶口中的祁门红茶是中国十大名茶中唯一的红茶,简称“祁红”,因产于安徽省祁门县而得名。清代光绪年间,祁门红茶创制成功。在中国,有“祁红特绝群芳最,清誉高香不二门”之说。2008年,祁门红茶制作技艺入选国家级非物质文化遗产代表性项目名录。
祁门红茶冲泡时汤色红艳透明
祁红制作分为初制和精制两大部分,其中初制有萎凋、揉捻、发酵、干燥等工序,精制包含初抖、分筛、毛撩、打袋、紧门、净撩、风选、撼筛、飘筛、拣剔、补火、拼配、匀堆、装箱等十多道工序。传统祁红质量,全取决于手上功夫,所以祁红又叫“祁门功夫红茶”。
干茶鉴赏
从1981年开始接触做茶,王昶和祁门红茶打交道的时间已有整整40年。2008年,王昶创办了安徽省祁门红茶发展有限公司。作为传承人、管理者和研究者,王昶在祁门红茶制作技艺研究方面下足了功夫。
国家级非物质文化遗产代表性项目祁门红茶制作技艺国家级代表性传承人王昶
祁门红茶和印度大吉岭茶、锡兰红茶并称世界三大高香红茶,其似花、似果、似蜜的浓郁香气来源于绿色的生态环境、优良的品种以及独特的关键技术“拼配”等。对于茶行业来说,“拼配”这项技术已成为企业形成独树一帜产品风格的“武林秘籍”。
评茶
在制茶、拼配方面,王昶有自己独到的理解与心得。为了在加工时不让香气跑掉,把香气稳住,保持在红茶里,王昶团队研发出了“稳态化低温发酵”技术,用数字智能技术从茶叶成分分子层面控制祁红的发酵程度,更好地把控祁红品质,实现了香气稳态化。如今,祁门红茶的香气比其他红茶要高60%左右。
而通过与中国农业大学、安徽省农业科学院茶叶研究所进行合作,成立安徽省祁门红茶工程研究中心,王昶团队把过去的传统制作工艺转化为了如今的自动化清洁生产线。王昶根据自己的制茶经验,在生产线各关键环节前完成一杯大师茶的制作,依靠智能数字设备记住茶叶在各个环节的数据,并将其记忆复制,通过智能控制来指导生产。
祁门红茶自动化清洁生产线
在通过标准化、清洁化、智能化生产技术提升生产效率的同时,传统的手工制作技艺仍然发挥着不可取代的作用。王昶提到,手工制作时,制茶师傅一边看茶一边做茶,能感觉到茶叶的灵性。如今,一些高档茶、礼品茶依然通过手工制作的方式生产。
2022年,祁门县茶叶产量7300吨,预计综合产值50亿元,茶农收入稳步提升。祁门县人均一亩茶园,祖祖辈辈依靠茶叶生存、生活,一直发展到今天。王昶坦言:“祁门红茶对我们祁门人很重要,祁门红茶也是中国的一张靓丽的名片。要把祁门红茶做强做大,要使一方茶农致富,让祁门红茶香飘世界,红遍全球。”(李佳琦 靳铃涵)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)