Is it time to reduce the transition time between US Presidents?

@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
January 8, 2021 11:07am CST
It is laid down in the US Constitution that there must be a period of 11 weeks between an election being held and the new President being sworn in. Hence the huge gap between 3rd November and 20th January, when all sorts of shenanigans can take place - not usually the case, but certainly true on this occasion! The reasons for such a long transition go back to a very different era, when transport was much slower, there was no electronic communication, and change necessarily took a long time. But surely those conditions have changed so much that a long Transition is no longer either needed or desirable? Other democratic countries often have transition periods, but they are nothing like as long as that in the US. In the UK there is no transition period at all. As soon as it is known that a general election has been lost - often the day following the vote - the losing Prime Minister tenders his/her resignation and the leader of the winning party makes a trip to Buck House to "kiss hands" and take up their place in Downing Street. There is often a hurried arrival of removal vans at No 10! The business of forming a government then takes place in the days following - the new PM invites certain colleagues to No 10 and they leave a few minutes later to announce what job they have been given. It is all very quick and civilised - the contrast with the American version could hardly be more stark - I know which one I reckon works better!
4 people like this
5 responses
@xFiacre (14801)
• Ireland
8 Jan 21
@indexer Best to be rid of the loser before they get the chance to turn petulant.
3 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
9 Jan 21
The expectation in the past was that senior politicians would at least give the appearance of behaving like honourable gentlemen, even if that was only for public show. This tradition has clearly been thrown in the bin by the current incumbent.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (34957)
• United Kingdom
8 Jan 21
It does seem to leave the country in a kind of limbo and the losing candidate has far too long to enact all kinds of vengeful policies. But it isn't our business/problem.
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@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
8 Jan 21
That's true - but we can still brag about the things we do better!
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@Fleura (34957)
• United Kingdom
8 Jan 21
@indexer I suppose, but I kind of feel that we are interfering, and I didn't like it when Obama and Trump started trying to tell us what we should do about Brexit, for example, so I'd rather stay out of it.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86627)
• United States
8 Jan 21
It’s Constitutional, because of the Electoral College. The time allows for things like contesting the results, recounts, certification, etc. When we have adults in the White House it also allows for the transition team to set the cabinet up. I do like that British ceremony, though, where they applaud the old prime minister as he/she leaves #10 and then do the same for the new one as he/she arrives.
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@LadyDuck (502343)
• Italy
9 Jan 21
I think it's the only country where a President spend more time campaigning and waiting to pass the title than doing his business. I think that the terms are written in the US Constitution, that can of course be changed.
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@NJChicaa (127123)
• United States
8 Jan 21
You are right. The transition should happen more quickly.
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