In the US why does it take months after a federal election for the newly elected officials to take their seat in government?

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We have seen how in the UK there is a new Prime Minister and House of Commons the day after a (snap) general election, not two months like it is in the US, from Election day in November to Inauguration day in January. It may have been necessary in the US back in 1789 when travel was by horse, but this was true for the English parliament back then also. But the British (and other European countries) have adapted to modernity and get a new government quite quickly, but in the US we get two months of lame duck government.

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Anonymous 0 Comments

because the rules and timeline are laid out in the constitution, and it would require a constitutional amendment to change them, which is basically impossible currently. Also, the system “works” for the people in charge, so why would they change it?

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