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.
新媒体技术驱动文创发展******
新媒体技术既是文化传播的新载体，也是文创产业蓬勃发展的新引擎，将在传承中华文化和讲好中国故事上发挥越来越重要的作用
近年来，文创产业的规模和结构得到优化，越来越融入现代生活，焕发新活力。作为文创产业蓬勃发展的新引擎，新媒体技术极大激发了大众对文创的兴趣，推动文创产品越来越流行。
新媒体技术已渗透到日常生活的方方面面，带动了地域文化、非遗和传统戏曲等相关产业发展。北京、山东、厦门和成都等多地相继推动数字化文化产业园区建设。文化产业园区利用大数据、人工智能、5G、VR等技术，让大众能够随时随地线上畅游园区的同时，还能通过参与虚拟空间互动，深入了解博大精深的中国历史文化。这不仅为传承弘扬中华优秀传统文化提供了机会，更扩大了文化消费，为更好地实现社会效益和经济效益的双效统一创造了机会。
新媒体技术是文创产业蓬勃发展的新引擎。文创产业利用新媒体技术低门槛、互动性强的优势，加速自身迭代升级，实现社交媒体、动画、短视频等多元化传播。例如，陕西历史博物馆等单位合作推出的有声剧《国宝之灵》，在网络音频平台上的播放量突破千万次，让更多人了解馆藏瑰宝背后的故事。可以说，新媒体技术为文化创作提供了更便利的技术和平台支持，驱动了文创产业的个性化发展，也进一步为文化传播增添了趣味性和科技感。
深厚的历史底蕴和丰硕的文化成果，是实现文创产业创意灵感落地的重要源泉。如何让新技术助力中国文创产业跨界发展？故宫文创的蓬勃发展给出了答案。目前，故宫拥有1万多种文创产品，有着中国体量最大的文创IP。从宫廷娃娃系列、顶戴花翎伞帽和折扇等各种产品，到风靡各大社交平台的故宫表情包，再到以守护国宝真实历史事迹为内容的主题漫画《故宫回声》……跨界已成为文创潮流的一种新形式，代表着人们一种新的文化共识与审美情趣的融合。而视频、漫画与传统文化的碰撞，使文创兼具传统文化古韵和现代化审美情趣，唤醒年轻人用新的传播方式主动传播、挖掘并传承中华优秀传统文化之美。
新媒体技术为文创产业的更新和转型提供了前所未有的机会，促进了中华优秀传统文化在更多地区、更广人群中的传播。新媒体技术既是文化传播的新载体，也是文创产业蓬勃发展的新引擎。在不远的未来，基于新媒体技术的文创产业，必将在传承中华文化和讲好中国故事上发挥越来越重要的作用。
（作者 北京大学新媒体研究院 王煜茜）
