How lame is a lame-duck president?
How lame is a lame-duck president? Surely you’ve heard it before. If you’ve read any news chronicling an incumbent president who’s reached the end of his term, you’ve come across the term “lame duck.” Initially, it was used to describe investors who were unable to pay their debts. In the hands of Americans around 100 years later it was applied to “broken down politicians” [source: The Phrase Finder]. This version stuck. Despite their timid-sounding moniker, lame-duck office holders aren’t always as meek as little lambs. Since they may no longer feel beholden to voters, these officials may take advantage of their position against the wishes of their constituents. The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, known as the Lame Duck Amendment, was passed to reduce this risk, by shortening the
