By the numbers: Lame duck Congress Outgoing politicians face
several votes This year's session, with fiscal cliff
negotiations and lively nomination controversies, is anything
but lame. But it's still a lame-duck Congress. Just how did a
meeting of one Congress that occurs after a new one is elected
but not yet sworn-in get that name? We're slow roasting the
answers to those questions and serving them up by the numbers:
What is a 'lame duck'? 18th Century - The term "lame duck"
originates in Great Britain to describe a bankrupt businessman.
1830s - The term "lame duck" arrives in the United States, but
is used to describe politicians on their way out of office,
rather than businessmen. 85 - The number of current members of
Congress who are lame ducks. 17 weeks - The length of time
between November elections and inauguration on March 4th, prior
to the 20th Amendment being ratified in 1933. This led to many
problems, such as President-elect Abraham Lincoln being unable
to deal with the secession of seven states