Lame duck (politics)
In politics, a "lame duck" refers to an outgoing politician or group of politicians who remain in office near the end of their term, particularly in contexts like the United States where this term is frequently applied to a president or Congress members who will soon be succeeded. The concept signifies a period where the political power of these individuals diminishes as focus shifts towards the incoming leaders and their agendas. The term has historical roots, originating in mid-nineteenth century America and believed to have come from the British practice of describing failing ships or businesspeople. The impact of this concept was formalized with the adoption of the Twentieth Amendment in 1932, which shifted the presidential inauguration date from March to January, thereby reducing the duration of the lame-duck period. This alteration allowed for a more efficient transition of power, reflecting advancements in transportation and communication. In addition to its political implications, the term "lame duck" draws a metaphorical comparison to ducks during molting, when they temporarily lose their ability to fly. Overall, the lame-duck period is characterized by a shift in political dynamics, often affecting the decisions and influence of those in office.
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Lame duck (politics)
In politics, the term lame duck refers to an outgoing politician or group of politicians who are still in office near the end of their term. Lame duck is commonly used in the United States to refer to a president who, though currently still in office, will be replaced by a successor at the next presidential inauguration. The term is also commonly used to describe Congressional sessions that take place after an election, in which some of the representatives and senators will soon be replaced by newly elected members.
Overview
The term lame duck is meant to indicate that the outgoing politician has lost most of their political power. Power begins to shift during a lame-duck presidency or session of Congress because constituents start to focus on the incoming politicians and their plans for office. Politicians may also lose support during the lame duck period, especially if they lost their bid for reelection, as opposed to reaching the end of a term limit or deciding not to run for another term.
The term lame duck has been used in the United States since the mid-nineteenth century. Historians believe the phrase originated in Great Britain, where it was first used to describe ships that were sinking at sea or business professionals who had failed or lost large sums of money. The first usage in the United States occurred when it was used by a senator to refer to other politicians whose careers had ended. Eventually, the term came to refer to politicians who were at the end of their terms or could not run for reelection.
In 1932, the United States adopted the Twentieth Amendment, also known as the Lame Duck Amendment. This amendment moved the presidential inauguration date from March 4 of the year after an election to January 20. The amendment shortened what was becoming known as the lame period between election day and inauguration day. This change happened in part because advancements in technology had made travel and communication more efficient. Instead of needing the time for people to travel to Washington from across the United States, people could make the trip in a far shorter amount of time. Shortening the lame-duck period lessened the amount of time outgoing politicians could attempt to wield their influence. The first inauguration to take place after the passage of the Twentieth Amendment was that of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937 when he was inaugurated for a second term. The amendment also changed the opening date of a new Congress to January 3 after an election, which significantly shortened the lame-duck period in Congress. Following President Donald Trump's defeat of President Joseph Biden in the 2024 presidential election, another lame-duck period was entered.
The term can also be used to compare people to ducks going through the molting process. Molting, or the shedding of feathers, is necessary for birds because their feathers wear down over time and need to be replaced. Most birds molt slowly over time, so they do not have bald patches and lose the ability to fly. Ducks do not have to fly very often, so they evolved to molt all at once. For about six weeks during their molting, ducks cannot fly. They are referred to as lame ducks because of that reason.
Bibliography
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