Glenn Beck's New Thriller: 'The Overton Window'

The theory states that policy proposals in any given area can be arranged from the most freedom to the least free. But only a narrow window of those policy options is considered politically acceptable to politicians. This smaller list of policy options does not necessarily reflect the stance a lawmaker would prefer to take on an issue. Rather, this “window” looks onto the range of choices the lawmaker believes he or she can support and still win re-election. As ideas change in society, the window shifts to include new policies or exclude old ones.