Today is National Lame Duck Day! Now, please don’t go out and take pictures of one-legged ducks and cry about them in bed tonight, as that is not what this is about. The term lame duck refers to a political figure who has a couple months left in a governmental role until their successor takes office. This means that they have no real power, and no one expects them to make any big changes. However, lame duck Congresses have done a number of things including censuring a senator, approving a Vice President, and impeaching Clinton. When a president becomes a lame duck, they don’t have to listen to their party, because they’re not trying to get reelected, which can lead to some interesting decisions. When John Adams lost the election and Congress to Thomas Jefferson (and the opposing party), he flooded the courts with his followers and changed the Supreme Court rules so that Jefferson couldn’t be a judge in the future. This is usual for presidents, and many use their clemency power heavily during this time period. In conclusion, today is a day for recognizing people who would normally have responsibility, yet now don’t.
