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.
2022年多项指标下滑 房地产市场短期复苏承压******
1月17日,国家统计局发布2022年全年房地产开发投资与销售数据。尽管行业政策面释放宽松信号,但2022年多项房地产数据指标仍保持下探,其中全国房地产开发投资额同比降幅为10%,罕见进入到两位数行列。在业内人士看来,2022年房地产市场供需两端面临冲击和压力,数据指标持续恶化,市场短期复苏承压。2023年供应端修复将晚于销售端,乐观情形下,2023年全年商品房销售面积同比或小幅增长,价格逐渐趋稳。
开发投资增速“跌”入两位数
2022年,全国房地产开发投资132895亿元,比上年下降10%;其中,住宅投资100646亿元,下降9.5%。
2022年,房地产开发企业房屋施工面积904999万平方米,比上年下降7.2%。其中,住宅施工面积639696万平方米,下降7.3%。房屋新开工面积120587万平方米,下降39.4%。其中,住宅新开工面积88135万平方米,下降39.8%。房屋竣工面积86222万平方米,下降15%。其中,住宅竣工面积62539万平方米,下降14.3%。
从数据表现上来看,全国房地产开发投资增速2021年为4.4%,此后一路保持下探,2022年4月,该项指标进入负增长区间。但也可以看到,12月单月投资、开工面积降幅略有收窄。
“2022年,全国房地产开发投资增速仍处于恶化状态,说明开发投资的压力比较大。”上海易居房地产研究院研究总监严跃进表示,目前改善开发投资指标的总体思路是清晰的,尤其是近期或发布资产负债表优化的21条方案,其将显著改善房企的资金状况和开发投资预期。
广东省城规院住房政策研究中心首席研究员李宇嘉表示,2022年开发投资下跌10%,为年度最大跌幅。上一次楼市开发投资承压还是2015年去库存时期,彼时开发投资仍旧增长1%。可见,2022年楼市的压力是史无前例的。拖累开发投资的直接原因,就是前端的土地出让和新开工,土地购置费和建筑工程,合计占据开发投资70%左右的份额。2022年,土地出让下滑53.4%、新开工下滑39.4%,都是年度最大的跌幅。
房地产市场“萎缩”成为常态,房企拿地的积极性也受到抑制。2022年,全国房企土地购置面积同比增速为-53.4%。土地市场大体上下跌或萎缩了50%,若剔除城投等企业托底现象,相关数据表现会更糟。
中指研究院数据显示,2022年,TOP100企业拿地总额12975亿元,同比下降48.9%,全年整体拿地低迷。TOP100门槛值为48亿元,较上年同期下降24亿元,TOP100企业招拍挂权益拿地总额占全国300城土地出让金的比例为35.3%。
商品房销售延续跌势
寒冬模式的开启,供需两端皆保持“观望”。
在商品房销售和待售方面,2022年商品房销售面积135837万平方米,比上年下降24.3%,其中住宅销售面积下降26.8%。商品房销售额133308亿元,下降26.7%,其中住宅销售额下降28.3%。
2022年末,商品房待售面积56366万平方米,比上年增长10.5%。其中,住宅待售面积增长18.4%。
“在多地疫情形势严峻、居民置业意愿较低、居民收入预期未明显转好下,楼市活跃度恢复不明显。”中指研究院指数事业部市场研究总监陈文静分析称,12月单月全国商品房销售面积和金额同比降幅较上月分别收窄1.7个和4.6个百分点,但累计情况来看,2022年全年累计同比降幅仍超两成,且降幅延续扩大态势。各区域销售面积累计同比降幅均扩大,其中西部、东北地区降幅较明显;销售金额方面,东部地区累计同比降幅较1-11月略有收窄,其余地区降幅扩大趋势未改。
严跃进则表示,当前房屋销售数据总体弱于预期,全年下跌近25%的水平,说明购房需求刺激面临阻力。不过2023年要乐观看待此类数据,随着疫情过了高峰期,新一轮社会经济刺激工作会加速,购房市场势必有较好的表现和转机。
供应端修复晚于销售端
对于未来市场走势,陈文静直言,2023年供应端修复将晚于销售端,新开工面积和房地产开发投资仍面临一定下行压力,新开工面积在销售恢复节奏较慢、土地成交缩量、企业资金压力仍较大等因素影响下,预计难有明显改善;在“保交楼”资金推动下,房屋竣工或将得到改善,从而对房地产开发投资形成一定支撑,但企业拿地谨慎、新开工继续缩量等导致开发投资下行态势难改。
短期来看,需求端政策将进一步加快落实,符合条件的城市首套房贷利率有望下调,核心一二线城市政策空间不断释放,降低首付比例、降低房贷利率、优化区域限购等政策或继续跟进。据中指监测,近期北京、上海、杭州等核心城市购房情绪有所修复,预计未来随着政策进一步优化及显效,更多核心城市市场信心有望回升。若各地政策执行到位,全国房地产市场最早或在二季度企稳,乐观情形下,2023年全年商品房销售面积同比或小幅增长,价格逐渐趋稳。
在李宇嘉看来,当前的关键是稳定房价,房价不稳,不仅居民不愿意买房,金融机构也不愿意介入,不愿意参与收并购、纾困。进一步讲,房企资金链也难以好转。近期政策加力很明显,包括利率不设下限对冲房价下跌预期,鼓励需求入市。2023年上半年,处于疫后休养生息、修复预期、稳定基本面的时期,预计量价还将继续下跌,但在2022年低基数的基础上,跌幅或许收窄。下半年,量价和预期将逐步企稳。
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)