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.
事关4亿车主!定价规则调整,你的车险保费要降了?******
中新经纬1月13日电 (李自曼)近日,中国银保监会发布《关于扩大商业车险自主定价系数浮动范围等有关事项的通知》(下称《通知》),进一步扩大财险公司定价自主权,且明确各地因地制宜实施。
在受访业内人士看来,理论上车险保费最高可降价23%,但企业不会盲目降价。对保险公司来说,《通知》扩大了保险公司车险定价的自主权限,卡在原自主定价系数两端的业务或存发展机遇。
理论上车险保费最高可降价23%
大型险企的降价可能性或更高
《通知》第一部分内容主要是明确商业车险自主定价系数的浮动范围由[0.65,1.35]扩大到[0.5,1.5]。
据公安部最新统计,截至2022年9月底,全国机动车保有量达4.12亿辆。全国机动车驾驶人数量达4.99亿人,其中汽车驾驶人数量为4.61亿人。
东吴证券非银金融行业分析师葛玉翔团队认为,本次调整将使车险定价更加精细化,驾驶习惯良好的“好车主”保费会更低,“高风险车主”保费面临上升压力。
根据商业车险保费计算公式(商业车险保费=基准保费×NCD系数×自主定价系数)来算,理论上调整后车险保费价格最高可降价23%,最高可涨价11%。
作为计算车险保费的系数之一,自主定价系数越高,车险保费越高。目前,自主定价系数的影响因素包括车主的驾驶技术、驾驶习惯、驾龄等。
NCD系数指无赔款优待系数,即根据被保险人连续投保年限、出险次数,确定NCD系数值,从而影响车辆投保的费用。
保险公司是否会采取降价措施?中新经纬联系多家财险公司了解到,由于《通知》下发不久,各公司尚未制定出完整的相关政策,不便做出具体回应。
业内专家告诉中新经纬,《通知》下发后,保险公司可能会根据自己的综合情况降价。中小财险公司受车险综合改革等因素影响,综合成本率仍处于较高水平,降价的可能性会小于大型财险公司。目前,车主的出险数据是联网的,但由于各公司的定价策略不同,承保同一车主的同一辆车,保费会有差异。大型保险公司由于承保量大,会在一定程度上摊平定价风险。所以,部分选择在大型保险公司投保的风险较高的车辆,相比在中小公司投保,其车险保费并没有太高。
《通知》或对定价更细的公司更有利
卡在原自主定价系数两端的业务或存发展机遇
车险业务一直是多数财险公司重要业务板块。《通知》对财险公司将有哪些影响?
资深精算师徐昱琛对中新经纬表示,整体而言,《通知》中对于商车险自主定价系数的调整,对定价更精细的公司来说更加有利。一般而言,公司规模越大,定价能力会越好,其精算力量以及在定价方面的研究力量会更大,具有规模效应。
业内专家指出,除大型公司外,车企主机厂旗下的汽车保险公司或也能从此《通知》中受益。相比中小型财险公司,此类公司在数据和销售渠道都具有较大优势。不过,如何将优势转化到运营和定价方面,十分考验公司的整体经营能力。
关于《通知》对公司业务端的影响,徐昱琛表示,此次商业车险自主定价系数调整后,对财险公司的两类业务影响比较大。一类是原自主定价系数为0.65的业务,另一类是原自主定价系数为1.35的业务。针对本身风险数据较好、驾驶员驾驶行为良好的车辆,保险公司可将其定价系数可以打得更低,来增强客户黏性。针对高风险车辆,如营运车辆,保险公司可以通过提高自主定价系数来平衡风险,并为其提供承保机会。
中新经纬了解到,此前,对于高风险车辆,如摩托车、农用车、营运车、货车、皮卡车等,保险公司在承保时往往附加各种苛刻条件和繁琐程序。如摩托车在摩托车交强险保费测算时,保险公司需要根据摩托车车型、发动机排量来测算实际保费,并加收车船税。
徐昱琛认为,整体看来,各公司能否通过自主定价系数的调整来实现业务突破,还需进一步观察。
(文中观点仅供参考,不构成投资建议,投资有风险,入市需谨慎。)
(文图:赵筱尘 巫邓炎)