In Total Victory, Mike Solana captures the drastic shifts in the American political and media landscape through the events of the 2024 election, which saw Donald Trump secure a sweeping win. Solana argues that the election underscored a profound disconnect between the mainstream press and public opinion. As Americans increasingly relied on alternative media for information, legacy outlets lost significant influence, and frustration with the Democratic Party reached new heights.
Solana highlights a relentless wave of media and political events that led to a turning point: attempted legal actions against Trump, controversial actions by Democratic leadership, and the use of censorship tactics by some mainstream platforms. Meanwhile, Trump’s ability to leverage new media platforms resonated strongly with voters, a shift that Solana identifies as a key factor in his success. This election demonstrated a growing preference for direct communication over traditional press narratives, marking a distinct change in how Americans engage with politics.
The election, according to Solana, was shaped by concerns about national policies on crime, immigration, and economic challenges. He suggests that the Democrats’ approach seemed out of touch with the public’s priorities, intensifying voter discontent. This moment signaled the growing power of decentralized information sources and a clear departure from legacy media’s once-dominant role in shaping public opinion.
The Overton Window is a concept in political theory that describes the range of ideas that are considered politically acceptable within a given society at a given time. The term was coined by Joseph P. Overton, a senior vice president at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, a free-market think tank based in Michigan. The basic idea is that there is a “window” of policy ideas that are seen as politically viable, while ideas outside of this window are considered too extreme and thus unlikely to be implemented.
The Overton Window is not a fixed entity; it can shift and change over time. For example, ideas that were once considered radical and outside the window may eventually become mainstream and accepted within the window. Similarly, ideas that were once mainstream may become politically unacceptable and relegated to the fringes of society.
One example of this process in action is the evolution of LGBTQ rights in the United States. In the 1970s and 1980s, the idea of same-sex marriage was considered highly controversial and outside of the Overton Window. However, as social attitudes towards LGBTQ individuals have shifted over time, the idea of same-sex marriage has become increasingly accepted and is now legal in many states. This shift in public opinion has led to a corresponding shift in the Overton Window, with same-sex marriage moving from the fringes of society to the mainstream.
Another example of a idea that once considered outside the window but now considered inside is Universal Basic Income, which suggest the government should give every citizen a fixed sum of money on regular basis.
Conversely, ideas such as government censorship of the internet or curtailing civil liberties in the name of national security were once inside the Overton Window, but have become increasingly controversial in recent years as concerns about privacy and government overreach have grown.
It is worth noting that the Overton Window does not simply reflect the preferences of the general public. Special interest groups, political parties, and the media can also play a role in shaping public opinion and moving the Overton Window. As such, it’s not just a measure of public opinion but also the measure of a particular group’s power and influence on shaping public opinion.
The Overton Window also can be used to explain the phenomenon of political polarization, which is the tendency of people to become more entrenched in their political beliefs and less willing to compromise with those who hold opposing views. When the Overton Window becomes narrower, with fewer ideas considered politically viable, it becomes more difficult for people on opposite sides of the political spectrum to find common ground.
The Overton Window is a useful concept for understanding how public opinion shapes political reality and how political ideas can evolve over time. It highlights the fluidity of political discourse and the potential for social progress through shifts in the Overton Window. However, it also underscores the potential for censorship and the suppression of dissenting ideas when the window narrows. It is essential for a healthy democracy to have a broad Overton Window with diverse opinion and ideas to be considered, debated, and understood.
