Paul Ryan's Overton Window
The theory of the Overton Window -- named after political theorist Joseph P. Overton -- describes the snapshot of what's acceptable to voters:
The Overton window is a political theory that describes as a narrow "window" the range of ideas that the public will respond to as acceptable, and that the political viablility of an idea is primarily defined by this rather than individual preferences of a given politician....At any given moment, the “window” includes a range of policies considered to be politically acceptable in the current climate of public opinion, which a politician can recommend without being considered too “extreme” or outside the mainstream to gain or keep public office.
It's axiomatic among "smart" political observers that the Paul Ryan budget is outside the Overton Window.
They maybe right. But they also may be forgetting that there are really only two ways to campaign for the White House. You can either pander -- tell voters roughly what they want to hear, confirming their basic views -- or you can persuade.
It's been a long time since an American politician tried the latter approach. Paul Ryan -- and Mitt Romney -- may discover that the window is open a lot wider than they thought.
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May '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
The window is wide open! The question is will 50.1% of those voting give R/R their vote and that insures the needed 270 electoral votes needed to win.
Apr '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
"It's been a long time since an American politician tried the latter approach. Paul Ryan -- and Mitt Romney -- may discover that the window is open a lot wider than they thought. "
At a national level, yes. But I submit to you that Scott Walker did a heck of a job of persuading two months ago and there was a whole lot of persuading going on during the '10 mid-terms. We just need this "local" phemomena to translate to a national election (or at least to key battleground states).
May '12
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
It has been a long time. They may also find there are a group of very engaged and enthusiastic voters that don't support Cong. Ryan's budget because it isn't aggressive enough.
Dec '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
Ironically, I see Obama's failures as having moved the window slighty to the right. Ryan's plan is close to the rightward edge of the window, but enacted it will recenter the spectrum of what is acceptable politically. Personally, I agree with Rand Paul that Ryan's plan doesn't fix enough of the problem; however, enacting it will make possible a solution that does.
May '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
The Overton window can be moved either right of left along the spectrum. It has been moving left for years. Judging by what I saw this morning as I scanned the AM news shows, the media is pushing the window as far left as hard as they can. The challenge for R&R will be to stay on message and push the window back to the right rather than getting bogged down in responding to attack ads.
I think a good tactic might be for a SuperPAC to make fun of the attack ads. Maybe show a group of political types sitting around saying, "Yeah, we can show Ryan pushing an old woman off a cliff. " Show the sleaze and callousness it takes to make an ad like the one where a woman dies of cancer "because of Romney." Show what the Dems actually think about their voters. Don't talk about the lies, show them making up the lies.
May '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
I think the American people are ahead of the chattering class on this one. We don't have the luxury of talking about the deficit and then going to Sardi's to discuss it with our colleagues.
We have been dealing with family budgets that don't allow us to just keep borrowing from China at 1 1/2% and going happily into further debt knowing that "apres moi, les deluge."
Taxpayers are grown ups. Let's get busy.
Jun '12
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
BrentB67
It has been a long time. They may also find there are a group of very engaged and enthusiastic voters that don't support Cong. Ryan's budget because it isn't aggressive enough. · 8 minutes ago
Then they can sit home and get four more years of Obama.
May '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
As an aside, have you noticed the time stamps on the posts? Rob posted this 20 min ago. That means that he got up, got the coffee going, jumped on Ricochet, made some comments, and is sitting there in front of his laptop in robe drinking his first cup and still hasn't gotten to the shower yet. What a great lifestyle! Rob's my hero.
Edited for spelling error.
Edited on August 13, 2012 at 4:39pmJul '12
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
I am always surprised that more politicians don’t go the persuasion route, although I suppose it’s just ever so much easier to pander and demagogue. I’m also always surprised to hear so many on the right speak with awe and praise for the legacy of Reagan, yet in the same breath discourage contemporary politicians from following in his footsteps in taking the persuasion-approach. This was in fact one of the most important keys to Reagan’s success, his ability and willingness to persuade. He wasn’t called the Great Communicator for nothing. His charisma gave him the ability to connect with people, and once he connected, he was able to have that adult conversation we have been talking about, and make his case for why that Overton Window could move a little further to the right.
R&R may lack the natural charisma of Reagan (Few people are blessed with Reagan’s gift in this regard!) but they have the ability, especially Ryan, to connect, and have that adult conversation.
Feb '12
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
BrentB67
It has been a long time. They may also find there are a group of very engaged and enthusiastic voters that don't support Cong. Ryan's budget because it isn't aggressive enough. · 27 minutes ago
I understand the sentiment. I ask that group to first take their complaints to Senators Christine O'Donnel and Sharron Angle. Oh, wait...
Oct '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
It's all going to come down to how well the sales message is crafted. And as part of that, I love Pilli's suggestion:
May '12
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
ConservativeWanderer
BrentB67
It has been a long time. They may also find there are a group of very engaged and enthusiastic voters that don't support Cong. Ryan's budget because it isn't aggressive enough. · 8 minutes ago
Then they can sit home and get four more years of Obama. · 24 minutes ago
I don't think R&R is going to have much success with those to the left of the window that think their fiscal plans go too far, what are your thoughts?
I was thinking that there is fertile ground farther to their right with respect to fiscal issues to build their base of support.
Jun '12
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
BrentB67
ConservativeWanderer
BrentB67
It has been a long time. They may also find there are a group of very engaged and enthusiastic voters that don't support Cong. Ryan's budget because it isn't aggressive enough. · 8 minutes ago
Then they can sit home and get four more years of Obama. · 24 minutes ago
I don't think R&R is going to have much success with those to the left of the window that think their fiscal plans go too far, what are your thoughts?
I was thinking that there is fertile ground farther to their right with respect to fiscal issues to build their base of support. · 1 minute ago
I don't think those on the left will be upset because Ryan's budget isn't aggressive enough, I think those on the left will be upset because it's too aggressive.
The "not aggressive enough" crowd is going to be on the far right.
Mar '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
To say that Mr. Overton's Window was once known by a more daring, perhaps even infamous, name might be impolitic here, so instead I'll just hasten to observe that whatever word one uses, "Overton Windows" do not open themselves.
Jan '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
I am so sick of hearing about the "mainstream." The mainstream is just an imaginary, purely fictional assessment of what one speaker thinks that "everyone else believes." And yet, inevitably, each speaker identifies the mainstream as being ... amazingly ... exactly what they believe themselves.
You've heard the phrase that man creates God in his own image? Pundits create mainstreams in their own image.
For me, "mainstream" is a shibboleth. As soon as I hear someone say it, they unintentionally reveal their own stupidity.
Oct '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
The significant part of Overton Window theory is when the window changes. Certain leaders are capable of moving the window at times of crisis; Ronald Reagan was one, and a lot of people on the left thought Barack Obama was another (let us all be thankful he was too inexperienced and naive for that).
Oct '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
There's not all that many undecided voters, though, especially this election. American politics is a game of convincing people to go to the polls, while trying to dispirit the other side to keep them home on election day. A contest of energy, in other words.
In truth, I don't think voters are decided by arguments about ideology, or even morality--I think it's more a matter of culture and coalition politics.
Dec '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
Joseph Eagar
In truth, I don't think voters are decided by arguments about ideology, or even morality--I think it's more a matter of culture and coalition politics. · 24 minutes ago
A Conflict of Visions, by Thomas Sowell, does the best job of explaining individual voting decisions.
Buy his book. It's a class, just like him.
May '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
The demeanor and style of the reformer go a long way toward determining just how wide the window opens.
In OH the face of the reforms was John Kasich --exasperated, defensive, testy, unwilling to throw the other side a bone, however small. Result: utter failure.
In WI the face was Scott Walker -- calm, cool, smiling, and willing to make a concession or two (e.g., exempting fire and police, making smaller-than-ideal demands on pension contributions). Result: smashing success.
Now we have Ryan -- those blue eyes, the youth, smarts, and cheerfulness, and, like Walker, the willingness to address the other side's concerns (see his coaxing of, and concessions to, Wyden).
That's the guy who's going to throw granny over the cliff? Him??? Nah.
Demeanor, style, and sweet blue eyes matter -- as do the deep issues discussed in Charlotte's post below.
Edited on August 13, 2012 at 6:14pmJun '12
Re: Paul Ryan's Overton Window
Last Outpost on the Right
Joseph Eagar
In truth, I don't think voters are decided by arguments about ideology, or even morality--I think it's more a matter of culture and coalition politics. · 24 minutes ago
A Conflict of Visions, by Thomas Sowell, does the best job of explaining individual voting decisions.
Buy his book. It's a class, just like him. · 2 minutes ago
From an earlier Sowell work, Vision of the Anointed, we learned that those that believe in experts then self-anoint themselves as "good people" because they believe "good" things. How do they know they are good? The experts tell them, of course!
Thus the modern leftist does not see the fight as left vs. right, they see it as good vs. evil, and evil must be destroyed.