LoveKimWexler
Active Member
- May 2, 2026
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Not saying this is the only definition, but for this thread, this is my kind of working definition:
The Overton Window is a model for understanding how ideas in society change over time and influence politics. The core concept is that politicians are limited in what policy ideas they can support — they generally only pursue policies that are widely accepted throughout society as legitimate policy options. These policies lie inside the Overton Window. Other policy ideas exist, but politicians risk losing popular support if they champion these ideas. These policies lie outside the Overton Window.
But the Overton Window can both shift and expand, either increasing or shrinking the number of ideas politicians can support without unduly risking their electoral support. Sometimes politicians can move the Overton Window themselves by courageously endorsing a policy lying outside the window, but this is rare. More often, the window moves based on a much more complex and dynamic phenomenon, one that is not easily controlled from on high: the slow evolution of societal values and norms.
I believe that we Democrats, at least our leaders and influencers, have stretched the Overton Window further than it should go. How? By adopting policies that were well outside the range of legitimate policy options not long ago. My fear is that we may have changed the Overton Window to make these policies acceptable to talk about and advocate, but we have not made these policies acceptable to voters. It is not that the Overton Window does not now cover these policies. The fact that we are talking about them, and even implementing them, is prima facie evidence that they are inside the window. But that doesn't make them any more palatable for voters, especially swing voters, and at the same time it brings attention to them since we can talk about them.
The two topics I specifically mean are not enforcing the border, and the parts of the transgender rights movement that advocate for biologically intact males in female safe spaces and female sports. Those issues are going to make it tough for Democrats to win elections in any but the bluest of blue states and cities. What will happen then is that Democrat politicians will stop talking about those issues, or change their stance on them. If that happens, the Overton Window will again shrink and those ideas will be outside the window again.
A Brief Explanation of The Overton Window
... the Overton Window can both shift and expand, either increasing or shrinking the number of ideas politicians can support without unduly risking their electoral support.The Overton Window is a model for understanding how ideas in society change over time and influence politics. The core concept is that politicians are limited in what policy ideas they can support — they generally only pursue policies that are widely accepted throughout society as legitimate policy options. These policies lie inside the Overton Window. Other policy ideas exist, but politicians risk losing popular support if they champion these ideas. These policies lie outside the Overton Window.
But the Overton Window can both shift and expand, either increasing or shrinking the number of ideas politicians can support without unduly risking their electoral support. Sometimes politicians can move the Overton Window themselves by courageously endorsing a policy lying outside the window, but this is rare. More often, the window moves based on a much more complex and dynamic phenomenon, one that is not easily controlled from on high: the slow evolution of societal values and norms.
I believe that we Democrats, at least our leaders and influencers, have stretched the Overton Window further than it should go. How? By adopting policies that were well outside the range of legitimate policy options not long ago. My fear is that we may have changed the Overton Window to make these policies acceptable to talk about and advocate, but we have not made these policies acceptable to voters. It is not that the Overton Window does not now cover these policies. The fact that we are talking about them, and even implementing them, is prima facie evidence that they are inside the window. But that doesn't make them any more palatable for voters, especially swing voters, and at the same time it brings attention to them since we can talk about them.
The two topics I specifically mean are not enforcing the border, and the parts of the transgender rights movement that advocate for biologically intact males in female safe spaces and female sports. Those issues are going to make it tough for Democrats to win elections in any but the bluest of blue states and cities. What will happen then is that Democrat politicians will stop talking about those issues, or change their stance on them. If that happens, the Overton Window will again shrink and those ideas will be outside the window again.
