“老漂族”心理健康需重视******
近年来，一些老人为帮助远在他乡的子女带孩子而成为“老漂族”，其中不少人由于不适应新的生活环境而产生心理问题。本市心理咨询师杨秀华提示，子女要高度关注“老漂族”心理健康，多花时间与老人沟通，表现出足够的包容和体谅，给予老人更多的精神慰藉和情感支持。
“老漂族”主要是指那些年龄在50-70岁，为了帮助子女照顾孙辈，或为帮助子女发展事业，离开家乡，来到子女所在的城市生活的老人，能够和子女、孙辈生活在一起，是多么美妙的尽享天伦的画面，但环境的改变、社交的缺失和习俗的不同，以及医疗、出行等多方面的不便，让不少“老漂族”会感觉无所适从，感到孤单寂寞，还可能因育儿观念、生活方式等差异与子女产生矛盾，长此以往，很容易出现一些心理问题。
杨秀华提示，子女要有足够的包容和体谅，给予老人更多的精神慰藉和情感支持，多花时间与老人沟通交流，给父母足够的关注，给老人一个倾诉的出口。当父母刚从家乡来到新环境，要给老人一个适应的过程，积极帮助老人熟悉今后的生活环境，带着父母多到新地方转一转、走一走，讲讲新地方的生活习惯、传统习俗、市井民情等，让老人心里有数、做事有底。父母帮忙照看孙辈、打理家务，子女不能彻底放手不管、心安理得地享受父母的照顾，而是应该和父母分工合作，全家人一起创造和谐、轻松、幸福的生活。在节假日里，子女应该多带着父母和孩子到户外活动，丰富日常生活，避免父母的生活过于呆板单一；鼓励父母多参与社会活动，多结识新的朋友，拓展朋友圈，在新的环境中建立新的人际关系。
从老人的角度来说，很多“老漂族”都是为了帮助孩子更好地工作和生活，选择背井离乡，要有“既来之、则安之”的心态，转变旧有的养老观念，积极适应新环境。主动与孩子沟通交流，遇到烦恼和实际困难，不要憋在心里不说，及时和孩子沟通能解决不少问题。要主动融入周围环境，平时带孩子在社区、公园等地方玩时，多和年龄相仿的邻居、老人聊天，一起锻炼。现在社区经常举办各类活动，还有各类舞蹈、合唱等团队，老人可以多参与活动，在空闲时间学些自己感兴趣的事，逐渐积累新的朋友圈子，丰富自己的精神文化生活。平时多关注本地的新闻报道，多关注有关异地医疗、养老落户等方面的政策，维护自身的合法权益。当与子女在理念上出现差异时，多沟通、学习、倾听，积极学习新鲜事物。在节假日时，可以回老家探亲、放松身心。（记者刘波）
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.
