A lame duck is a political official who is
serving until the end of his or her term but has not, for whatever reason, been
reelected. For example, if a new president of the United States is elected in
November, the current president (a “lame duck”) will continue to serve in the
office until the inauguration of the new president in January. In the U.S.
Congress, the time period between an election and the official swearing in of
new congresspersons is called the “lame duck session.” A lame duck politician
is considered to lack power and be ineffectual. But such a politician also may
act as though he or she is no longer accountable to constituents. In Britain, the
term is used to refer to a person who cannot pay his or her debts.