…The essence of the Overton window is that only a portion of this policy spectrum is within the realm of the politically possible at any time…

…Since commonly held ideas, attitudes and presumptions frame what is politically possible and create the “window,” a change in the opinions held by politicians and the people in general will shift it. Move the window of what is politically possible and those policies previously impractical can become the next great popular and legislative rage…

The Overton window moves in two directions, Claire.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D) [2018 file photo].

This morning, via NPR:

….In an interview with Morning Edition host Rachel Martin, McCaskill characterized her loss as a “failure” of the Democratic Party “to gain enough trust with rural Americans,” and she predicted her party will struggle to win other seats as long as President Trump remains in office.

“This demand for purity, this looking down your nose at people who want to compromise, is a recipe for disaster for the Democrats,” she said Thursday in her Capitol Hill office. “Will we ever get to a majority in the Senate again, much less to 60, if we do not have some moderates in our party…?”

“…This demand for purity, this looking down your nose at people who want to compromise…” Were you talking about Mitch McConnell (r)? Just asking.

How did that work out for you, Claire? How many open public town halls across the rural part of the state were there?

State of Missouri – General Election, November 06, 2018
Unofficial Results

U.S. Senator
3256 of 3256 Precincts Reported

Josh Hawley Republican 1,249,854 51.457%
Claire McCaskill Democratic 1,103,461 45.430%
Japheth Campbell Libertarian 27,508 1.133%
Jo Crain Green 13,195 0.543%
Craig O’Dear Independent 33,303 1.371%
WRITE-INS:
Write-in 1,605 0.066%

Total Votes: 2,428,926

Those 1,249,854 voters weren’t going to vote any other way, no matter what. A lot of people didn’t vote in the election. A lot.

It takes two sides working in good faith to actually achieve compromise. It’s impossible if the side on the far right is insane.

Anyone check soy bean markets recently?