The prediction, in brief:

Polls show that significant majorities favor the idea of national referendums – higher taxes – yes or no? Like church dogma, our civic religion now dictates that even when the people seem wrong, they are – by definition – right. Popul infallibility. Soon this hyperdemocratic impulse will be harnessed to irresistable technologies … Interactive voting is closer than we know. With as many as 50 percent of American homes expected to have a modem within the next five years, the decline of the polling place may be at hand.

Predictor: Alter, Jonathan

Prediction, in context:

In a 1995 essay for Newsweek magazine, Jonathan Alter quotes Neil Postman. Alter writes:”Until 1913, U.S. senators were usually chosen by state legislatures, not by voters. The framers of the Constitution, particularly James Madison – saw to it that the United States was a representative republic, insulated from the passions of the moment. James Who? Today, ‘virtual’ anything is hip, except virtual democracy – the idea that the people should not rule directly. It’s almost an article of faith that more democracy equals better democracy. Polls show that significant majorities favor the idea of national referendums – higher taxes – yes or no? Like church dogma, our civic religion now dictates that even when the people seem wrong, they are – by definition – right. Popul infallibility. Soon this hyperdemocratic impulse will be harnessed to irresistable technologies. ‘Once a technology is admitted [to the culture],’ writes Neil Postman in his disturbing book ‘Technopoly,’ ‘it plays out its hand; it does what it is designed to do.’ This suggests that interactive voting is closer than we know. With as many as 50 percent of American homes expected to have a modem within the next five years, the decline of the polling place may be at hand.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Global Relationships/Politics

Subtopic: Campaigns/Voting

Name of publication: Newsweek

Title, headline, chapter name: The Couch Potato Vote: Soon You’ll Be Able to Vote From Home – But Should You?

Quote Type: Partial quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=5d49f907ed81f8ad940229bf4e732c7e&_docnum=1&wchp=dGLbVzb-lSlAl&_md5=bc39481b352c693d4f97794587e2ea1e

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Sturmfelz, Matt