Is it possible to close the Overton Window? One columnist, William Marshall, argues that President Trump is closing the Overton Window on many social policies.

But first, let me explain what this means. Three years ago, I did a commentary on the Overton Window because I had someone in my Sunday School class ask what the term meant. Today, we hear people using the phrase all the time, but I suspect some don’t know its meaning and origin.

Joseph Overton developed his principle while working for a think tank in Michigan. He argued that every society has a “window” or range of policies that are generally accepted by the voting public. Think thanks and politicians work to push the window further. Socialists (like AOC and Bernie Sanders) want to push the window to the left so more Americans accept socialist economic policies.

Progressives argue that your sex should not be defined by your chromosomes. Gender is fluid, so biological boys who feel they are girls should be allowed to participate in women’s sports. Progressives also appeal to such notions as critical race theory to promote DEI and other woke policies.

The president is using his executive orders to close the Overton Window. The DEI executive order is being spread throughout the federal bureaucracy and seems to also be influencing corporate America. The executive order to end men and boys competing in women and girls’ sports also seem to be closing the Overton Window.

The original assumption was that you could open the Overton Window to new policy ideas that may have been rejected in the past. But it does seem like it is also possible to close the window on certain ideas, and President Trump is ready to pull down the window sash.