12/31/2023 0 Comments Lame duck presidentAre there any limits on what a president can do during this period? However, as the speed of communication and travel increased over the years, not as much time was needed for the transition, and with the passing of the 20th Amendment in 1933, inauguration day was brought forward to January 20. "It reflected the geography and the climate and the slower pace of life in those days," Professor Siracusa said. In the very early days, it used to be much longer - the inauguration was not until March 4 - because when horses and buggies were the primary forms of transport, things took a lot longer. The period between the election and the inauguration was originally intended to give the new president time to get their affairs in order and to move into the White House. Joe Biden will have to wait until January 20 before he officially becomes US president. Why does the US have a 'lame duck' period after the election? Read our full coverage of the US election and its aftermath. "The lame duck period in America refers to the period of time in which an incumbent president, or senator, or whatever, has been defeated and before the new guy comes in," Professor Siracusa said. US presidents are also sometimes known as "lame ducks" during their second and final term in office, when they can't stand for re-election. It's now widely used to refer to an elected official in the period between them losing an election and their successor being sworn in. The term "lame duck" was first coined in 18th century England, to describe a businessperson who couldn't pay their debts, and it began to be used in reference to American politicians in the 19th century. Visit our US Politics page for all the latest news on Joe Biden and Donald Trump. However, that term is actually pretty misleading.Īnd, according to Curtin University professor and presidential historian Joe Siracusa, there's plenty Mr Trump can get up to before he officially becomes an ex-president. Until then, the incumbent is what's called a "lame duck" president. Now that Joe Biden has won the election, that's the last we will hear of President Donald Trump, right? Well, not so fast.Īccording to the US constitution, an incoming president can't be sworn in until January 20.
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