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A 'lame duck' is an elected official who loses political power or is no longer responsive to the electorate as a result of

★ a term limit which keeps the official from running for that particular office again,

★ losing an election, or

★ the elimination of the official's office, but who continues to hold office until the end of the official's term.
Lame duck officials are in the peculiar position of not facing the consequences of their actions in the next election, meaning they are generally considered not accountable for their actions. They also tend to have less political power as other elected officials see less advantage in cooperating with them. On the other hand, lame duck executives, particularly Presidents of the United States, are notorious for issuing a series of executive orders or making appointments during their last days that they would not otherwise have made if it would have influenced the vote against them.

Contents

Examples

Australia

United States

Virginia

Origins of the term

Examples

Australia

In Australia, regardless of when the election is held, the Senate (or upper house) sits from the 1st of July following the election to the 30th of June three years later, while the newly elected members of the House of Representatives (or Lower House, of which the leader of the party (or coalition of parties) with a majority of members forms Government ) take their seats immediately after an election. A Senate that is destined to lose its majority as a result of such a change is called a ''lame-duck Senate'' and often attracts criticism if it blocks Government measures introduced in the House of Representatives.
For example, after the 2004 Election, it became clear that the governing Liberal Party/National Party coalition would gain a majority in the new Senate, which was due to sit the following July. In May, some months after the elections but before the new Senate came to power, the old Senate refused to pass new tax laws that had been passed by the House, which served to merely delay the passage of those laws until the new Senate assembled.
This behaviour would usually not attract the same level of criticism if the election has not significantly altered Senate composition.

United States

Any president of the United States who had been twice elected to the office since the 22nd amendment introduced term limits is, by the above definition, a lame duck for his entire second term, as he is prohibited from seeking re-election. However, presidents are not usually considered to be lame ducks until the election of their successor, possibly because presidents may be influenced by doing what the electorate wants to help their party retain the White House, even if they can't remain president personally.

Virginia

By the constitution of Virginia, the Governor of the state is prohibited from running for re-election and thus limited to one consecutive term in office.

Origins of the term

The phrase 'lame duck' was coined in the 18th century at the London Stock Exchange, to refer to a broker who defaulted on his debts. [1] [2] The first known mention of the term in writing was made by Horace Walpole, in a letter of 1761 to Sir Horace Mann: "Do you know what a Bull and a Bear and Lame Duck are?" [3] In the literal sense, it refers to a duck who is unable to keep up with its flock, making it a target for predators.
It was transferred to politicians in the 1860s, first being used to describe US President James Buchanan and his lack of action upon the secession of the confederate states.
A "lame duck session" is a formal meeting of old members of an organization after an election of new members but before their new terms have started.