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.
多款专属商业养老保险去年结算利率下调 仅1款产品同比有所上升****** 记者 冷翠华 截至1月10日,除个别险企外,多数经营专属商业养老保险的险企都发布了产品2022年的结算利率。纵向比较来看,2022年,受权益投资市场低迷影响,多款专属商业养老保险结算利率有所下调,仅1款产品结算利率同比有所上升。横向比较来看,业内人士和部分消费者认为,专属商业养老保险在理财市场有较强竞争力,在个人养老金产品圈,专属商业养老保险也比较受欢迎。 最高结算利率为5.6% 专属商业养老保险自2021年6月起在浙江省(含宁波市)和重庆市开始试点,首批试点公司为6家寿险公司。2022年3月1日起,专业养老保险公司获得参与试点资格,试点区域扩大至全国。 最早开展专属商业养老保险业务的寿险公司,已经披露了第二次年度结算收益率情况。整体来看,稳健型账户2022年年化结算利率在4.3%-5.15%之间,进取型账户2022年年化结算利率在4.6%-5.6%之间。专属商业养老保险采取“保证+浮动”的收益模式,与2021年的结算利率相比,多款产品2022年下调了结算利率,但都远高于最低保证利率。专属商业养老险稳健型账户的保证利率大多在2.5%-3%,进取型账户的保证利率大多在0%-1%。 具体来看,各人身险公司专属养老保险产品去年的结算利率分别为:新华保险-卓越优选稳健回报型账户投资组合5%,与2021年持平,积极进取型5.15%(2021年5.50%);中国人寿-国寿鑫享宝A账户4.5%(2021年4.0%),B账户5.0%,与2021年持平;泰康人寿-臻享百岁稳健型组合5.05%(2021年6.0%),进取型组合5.50%(2021年6.10%);泰康人寿-臻享百岁B款稳健型组合4.80%,进取型组合5.0%;国民养老-共同富裕稳健型投资组合5.15%,积极型投资组合5.60%;人保寿险-福寿年年稳健型账户4.8%(2021年5%),进取型账户5.1%(2021年5.3%);太平人寿-岁岁金生A账户4.00%(2021年4.50%),B账户5.10%(2021年5.35%)。 值得注意的是,以上专属商业养老保险产品皆已纳入个人养老金产品投资范围。目前,共有7家保险公司的8款专属商业养老保险纳入该范围。 此外,其他专属商业养老保险2022年的结算收益率分别为:太保人寿-太保易生福稳健A账户4.3%(2021年4.8%),进取A账户4.8%(2021年5.3%);稳健B账户4.5%(2021年5.0%),进取B账户5.0%(2021年5.5%)。同时,新华养老-盈佳人生稳健回报型和积极进取型投资组合去年的结算利率皆为4.60%。 由此可见,2022年,多款专属商业养老保险下调了结算利率(由于产品上市时间不同,部分产品实际运营并非整年度,结算利率均为年化利率),仅1款产品上调了结算利率。对此,川财证券首席经济学家陈雳对《证券日报》记者表示,专属商业养老保险的结算利率与险资的投资收益关联,险资投资收益下滑导致产品结算利率下调。2022年,保险公司整体净利润出现同比下滑,主要是受投资端影响,资本市场大幅波动导致行业整体利润率下滑。 相对优势明显 在专属商业养老保险中,目前已有8款产品纳入了个人养老金保险产品名单,因此,其投资收益率以及长期保值增值功能都备受关注。 星图金融研究院研究员黄大智认为,从专属养老保险去年的结算利率区间看,尽管和2021年相比大多略有下调,但横向比较来看,其收益率表现亮眼,具有很强的竞争力。 同时,专属商业养老保险具有“保证+浮动”的收益模式,运作模式和基金理财等有较大区别。保底设置使得其收益率浮动较小,也适合相应风险偏好的投资者选择。 北京排排网保险代理有限公司总经理杨帆认为,专属商业养老保险的产品设计既保证了稳健收益的下限,又带来了提高收益上限的可能性。同时,投资账户内的资金会随着投资收益增长而“复利”递增,长期投资优势更明显,持有时间越长收益越高,适合长期养老规划。 陈雳认为,对于养老金产品而言,保障是第一要务,投资收益率则位居其次,专属商业养老保险产品符合用户需求,竞争力整体较强;基金、银行理财等产品相对而言有更高的预期收益,但收益率取决于市场情况,波动性较大。 中国网客户端 国家重点新闻网站,9语种权威发布 |