§87 —
On lame duck
Democrat
DECEMBER 11
The stopgap runs out on December 11 1. The calendar has a memory. In November 2018 his party lost the House 2. On December 11, 2018, on camera: "I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck" 3. That shutdown ran 35 days and ended on the deal already rejected 4. The Congressional Budget Office put the cost at $11 billion 5.
He is not the lame duck in this picture. Before the vote he said, "I guess I'll become Mr. Veto" 6. After it he posted a red cap reading VETO, and Democrats will fall short of the two-thirds to override 7. The pardon power, on Jamie Raskin's list of oversight targets, has one exception in the text: impeachment 89. Congress has 55 days left from today. He has 803. He has the nuclear codes for all of them.
Sources
- The continuing resolution expires December 11, 2026 — Holland & Knight, October 2026 ↑
- Democrats took the House majority in November 2018 — Wikipedia, citing the Clerk of the House ↑
- "I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck" — CNN, 11 December 2018 ↑
- The 35-day shutdown ended with no wall money, on the deal previously rejected — NBC News, January 2019 ↑
- The partial shutdown cost about $11 billion — Congressional Budget Office, 28 January 2019 ↑
- "I guess I'll become Mr. Veto" — Newsweek, November 2026 ↑
- The VETO cap; Democrats short of a two-thirds majority — NBC News live blog, 4 November 2026 ↑
- Raskin named pardons among potential oversight targets — The Conversation via WLRN, 4 November 2026 ↑
- Article II, Section 2, the pardon clause — National Archives ↑
Republican
LAME DUCK
The term began as a finance word. In the 18th century the London Stock Exchange used it for a broker who defaulted on his debts 1. The Constitution has been trying to shorten the condition since the Twentieth Amendment set January 3 for the new Congress 2. The session is scheduled to open today and run toward Christmas 3. Republicans stay in charge until the new Congress is seated 4.
What it can still do: the debt limit, which Majority Leader John Thune said "could come in the lame duck" 3. Health department nominees Republicans need confirmed before Democrats take charge 4. A third reconciliation package, discussed before the election, to fund the Iran war and give states up to $10 billion for stricter voting rules 3. And a Supreme Court seat, should one open, though neither Alito nor Thomas had announced plans to step down as of November 4. Thune in June: "You're talking about basically 60 days post-election in the lame duck… I certainly wouldn't rule that out" 5. The duck still votes.
Sources
- 18th-century London Stock Exchange use, a stockbroker who defaulted — Wikipedia, Lame duck (politics) ↑
- Twentieth Amendment: terms of Senators and Representatives end at noon on January 3 — National Archives ↑
- The November 9 start; the debt limit; a third reconciliation package — No Labels ↑
- Republicans in charge until January; HHS nominees — STAT News, 4 November 2026 ↑
- Thune, June 2026, to Punchbowl News; neither Alito nor Thomas has announced plans to step down — LifeNews, 4 November 2026 ↑
“I rented from a fella who sold the building. He had till the first of the month, and that last week he signed a lot of paper. Legal, every sheet. I can't stop looking at a date, I'm sorry. December 11. That's when the money runs out this year. December 11, 2018, he said "I am proud to shut down the government." I checked it twice. His party had just lost the House. Thirty-five days. Sorry, one thing before you go. Fifty-five days for them, 803 for him. Which one is the lame duck?”— Lou
“Lame duck. Sounds harmless, right? Little limp, little quack. You know where it comes from? The London Stock Exchange. A broker who couldn't pay his debts. So it means somebody busted who's still on the floor, trading. That's Washington till January 3. Fifty-five days, the same gavels, a debt limit, talk of money for a war and up to ten billion for state voting rules. And down the street a man with a red hat that says VETO. He's no duck. He's got 803 days and the codes. Watch the wallet on the way out.”
“A lame-duck session is simply Congress at its most unburdened, freed from the distraction of voters, and I would expect its work to reflect that.”