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.
春节假期养肺补心是重点******
文/羊城晚报记者 张华 通讯员 李朝
春节前夕，广东省名中医、广东省第二中医院针灸科主任医师范德辉告诉广大读者，“阳康”后重点是恢复肺气，趁着假期可以补养心气。
刺激肺经，恢复肺气
新冠对肺脏的伤害是比较大的，所以在恢复期内一定要注意肺脏的养护。如何养护肺脏？范德辉指出，可以通过对肺经的刺激帮助排邪，养护正气。
“首先，肺经在胸前上方有两个穴位——中府与云门。这两个穴位不仅位置靠近肺部，而且还是肺经上的穴位。艾灸这两个穴位可以帮我们补充肺中的阳气，增强肺脏驱赶邪气的能力。”范德辉说。
其次，另一个重要的地方肺俞穴位。肺俞虽然不在肺经上，但也是保养肺脏的一个重要穴位，它是肺脏的专属保健穴，即出现任何肺系疾患，都可以通过按摩或艾灸肺俞来帮助解决。范德辉认为，首选艾灸的方式来刺激肺俞穴位。也可以选用贴“三九贴”的方法，利用药物的渗透来刺激这个穴位。
气阴两虚，注意补养心气
心与肺同在胸腔，二者位置接近，也可相互影响。中医认为，心脏的功能第一点是藏神明，心脏统管全身的精神、意识和思维活动。所以心气弱的人除了心慌气短之外，往往还会伴有精神不佳、思维不够灵活、睡眠不好等问题。
人体发热后一般气阴两虚，可用人参、黄芪、五指毛桃、西洋参、虫草之类炖鸡或者瘦肉，益气养阴，补充体力。范德辉介绍：“养心气比较好的药物有参类，如西洋参、人参等。西洋参药性微寒，服用不易上火。人参可大补元气，必定能补益到心气。当食用人参时，可以配合一些养心阴的麦冬、敛心液的五味子，组成经典的生脉饮，以益气生津，敛阴止汗。”
另外，专家还建议，多晒太阳。“每天上午或者下午晒太阳不少于半小时，吸纳自然界清阳之气。同时注意保暖，尤其要注意胸口部位保暖，防止寒气再次伤及心脏阳气和肺气。”
脾胃弱，兼顾运化脾胃
味觉减退、食欲不佳、腹泻等症状，说明新冠也会对脾胃造成一定的影响。如何补脾？范德辉认为，除了对足太阴脾经进行拍打、按摩以及足三里的环转揉按之外，还有食疗和运动的方法。
食疗——健脾祛湿汤。“选用山药、茯苓、莲子、芡实这四种食材加上猪肚来煲汤健脾祛湿。”范德辉还指出，“新冠的病人，大多数湿象会比较重，建议选用参苓白术散，它在健脾的同时，还可以达到祛湿的效果。”
运动锻炼——八段锦。许多人在“阳康”后便迫不及待地想做一些运动来恢复身体机能，而专家建议，不要进行剧烈运动。这时，可以选择更为平和的运动——八段锦，以疏通经脉、协调五脏六腑。
