I think the question should be, SHOULD the USA have a transition system that waits until January 20th for the Inauguration of a new President? The term "lame duck" president is totally inappropriate in the current context. Trump is more like a wounded rhino and there is definitely potential for a catastrophe. I hope that Biden takes a serious look at this mechanism and takes steps to mitigate a potential disaster in the future (if not too late).

WHO can explain the political system at all?!😐I'll just be glad when it's DONE! Couldn't get Trump out of there fast enough.

Yeah I've wondered that. Like uk morning after the election new pm moves in whilst old one moves out. New pm goes to see the Queen to be asked to form government and all done by teatime

Here is the definitive answer:

[quote][b] In the United States, though, more than 11 weeks can pass between Election and Inauguration Days in order to give an incoming president time to choose a cabinet and plan for a new administration. The result is a lengthy lame-duck period, but it used to be even longer.

The Congress of the Confederation set March 4, 1789, as the date “for commencing proceedings” of the new government established by the U.S. Constitution. While a particularly bad winter delayed the inauguration of George Washington by eight weeks, subsequent incoming presidents and vice presidents took their oaths of office on March 4. The four-month gap was needed in part because of the time it took to count and report votes and to travel to the nation’s capital. However, the lengthy lame-duck period caused problems such as in the aftermath of the 1860 election when seven states left the Union during the long “Secession Winter.” President-elect Abraham Lincoln had no power to act, and outgoing President James Buchanan took no action, leaving the issue for his successor.

As technological advances greatly reduced the times to tabulate votes, report the results and travel, such a long lame-duck period was no longer logistically necessary. As a result, the 20th Amendment, which was ratified on January 23, 1933, moved up Inauguration Day to January 20 and the first meeting of the new Congress to January 3. The 20th Amendment didn’t take effect until October 1933, after the long lame-duck period once again proved problematic. With the U.S. in the throes of the Great Depression, incoming President Franklin D. Roosevelt had to wait four months to implement his New Deal while uncertainty further roiled financial markets. January 20 first served as Inauguration Day in 1937 when Roosevelt was sworn in for a second term. (On years when January 20 is a Sunday, a private swearing-in ceremony occurs with the public oath of office taken on January 21.)[/b][/quote]

i can't explain it, but i suspect it's to facilitate the exchange of power and turnover of administrations, if need be.

20th Amendment to The Constitution made it a matter of law for January 20th. It used to be in early March, but the reason is to have time to pick a cabinet so that everything can be handed over to the incoming administration, as heads of departments that hold cabinet seats have to be selected, etc.

It used to be in March

If you are an American you should know and if you aren't why do you care 🤭