Why the lame-duck Congress is a threat to democracy
President Joe Biden warned Americans before the midterms that democratic self-government was “under assault” by candidates who refused to accept that Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election. Biden echoed others when he argued that such Republicans were “determined to succeed in thwarting the will of the people.” Polls show that most Democrats and Republicans alike worry about the future of our democracy — though they disagree over what threatens it. But this debate misses a more immediate danger: lame-duck lawmakers still making decisions while in office. The current Democrat-controlled lame-duck session alone is expected to address legislation involving such major issues as gay marriage and defense spending.
