What does the term "lame duck" refer to in politics?

Question

Since the election Tuesday, there has been a lot of talk of certain politicians being "lame ducks." I was just wondering what this term meant, and perhaps how we came to use it in regards to politicians.

Thanks!

Answer 1

A politician that is out of power because his party is now in the minority or because he was replaced by someone of the opposite party is called a lame duck, because they are shot and unable to fly (metaphorically speaking). The current Speaker of the House is a lame duck because a Democrat will be replacing him in January; any attempts at last minute legislation by him will be blocked and postponed until the next Congress. The President may become a lame duck if the Democratic Congress choose to block any and all of his proposals and actions (which they are entitled to do, but probably won't--they will be satisfied just curtailing him a little bit).

I hope that helps.

Answer 2

It means that the person is in office but that he or she is not eligible for reelection. Bush is considered a lame duck. That means that if they have plans they need to get them done. Lame duck politicians get more done in the last few months of office than in the rest of their term.

Answer 3

When a politician is voted into office, he/she is not sworn into office immediately. There is a transition time between politicians. While the previous politician remains in office before the new one takes over, he/she is known as a "lame duck."

Answer 4

It is a reference when a leader is not going to get anything done for the rest of his term.
A lame duck is an elected official who is no longer responsive to the electorate as a result of (a) a term limit which keeps him from running for that office again, (b) losing an election, or (c) 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

A person or thing that isn't properly able to function, especially one that was previously proficient.

Origin

The description of 'lame duck' is often applied to politicians who are known to be in their final term of office, when colleagues and electors look toward a successor. It is also sometimes used to describe office-holders who have lost an election but have not yet left office.

In recent years (as of 2006) both George W. Bush and Tony Blair, unable to see out further electoral victories, have been faced with such mutterings, for example:

In May 2006, The Washington Post ran an article entitled 'Bush's Political Capital Spent', including the opinion:

"Such weakness has unleashed the first mutterings of those dreaded second-term words, 'lame duck'."

In April 2006, The [London] Times ran an article entitled:

"Is Blair a 'lame-duck' Prime Minister?"

US presidents have long suffered this fate, partly due to the electoral rules in America, which limit the number of terms that a president may serve, and the USA is where the phrase originates when applied to politicians. The Congressional Globe entry for 14 Jan. 1863 has:

In no event could it be justly obnoxious to the charge of being a receptacle of ‘lame ducks’ or broken down politicians.

Historians now describe various 19th century US presidents as 'lame ducks'. The first such description of a US president I can find which was written while he was still in office isn't until 1926 though, and relates to Calvin Coolidge. The Wisconsin newspaper, the Appleton Post-Crescent ran a piece entitled, 'Making a lame duck of Coolidge', in May 1926:

"... the voting in other Republican states should hinge pretty largely on the issue whether Mr. Coolidge shall be permitted to become a lame duck president for the final two years of his term."

The actual origin of the term is nothing to do with politics though and is quite specific in meaning. It comes from the London Stock Market and referred to investors who were unable to pay their debts. In Horace Walpole's 'Letters to Sir Horace Mann', 1761, we have:

"Do you know what a Bull, and a Bear, and a Lame Duck are?"

In 1771, David Garrick, in 'Prologue to Foote's Maid of Bath' wrote:

"Change-Alley bankrupts waddle out lame ducks!"

In 1772, the Edinburgh Advertiser included:

"Yesterday being the settling day for India stock, the bulls had a balance to pay to the bears to the amount of 23 per cent. Only one lame duck waddled out of the alley, and that for no greater a sum than 20,000."

We are still familiar with the terms 'bull market' and 'bear market', referring to rising and falling markets respectively, but 'lame duck' in the specifically stock trading context is now little used.

Why should someone who has no assets be called a 'duck'? Could it be related to the cricketing term, 'out for a duck' - used when a batman is out without scoring any runs? It seems not. That term is much later and refers to the zero on the scoreboard being similar to a duck's egg. First used in 1867, in G. H. Selkirk's 'Guide to Cricket Ground':

"If he makes one run he has 'broken his duck's egg'."

That's all I have to say about that.

Answer 5

An elected official who has lost a re-election or who did not seek re-election, but continues to hold office in between the time of the election and the time of the inauguration of the successor.

Answer 6

The term originated in the 1700s regarding stockbrokers who could not meet their debts. It was transferred to politicians in the 1860s.

Answer 7

Somebody who somehow ended up "in office" but now couldn't get elected if they wanted to.

Certain rules make it illegal for politcians to run for re-election - Then they have to do unexpected things - Like a bird that cannot fly.

Answer 8

Not going to get much accomplished. Might be going out of office soon and no time to get much done. Party turned back on him or he turned back on party. Anyway...not moving forward, not moving backward, just sort of at a stand still.

Answer 9

In a word "Bush"

basically it mean that nothing has been done that the people have wanted or voted for!