Now all we need is a modern-day Robbespierre? I love the smell of mob rule in the morning? Nawwwwww... Cheers, Bob Hettinga --- begin forwarded text X-Sender: massmail@css Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Tue, 20 Oct 1998 10:46:02 -0600 To: rah@shipwright.com From: cwheeler@activmedia.com Subject: Will 'Net Ballots Supplant Congress? WILL DIRECT DEMOCRACY PRE-EMPT SOME OF CONGRESS'S POWER? Questions Remain about Implementation ActivMedia Research (http://www.activmedia.com) - Two of three Internet afficionados think online elections are a good idea (66% to 33%). The same proportion would like to be able to vote on ballot referenda and exercise direct democracy via the 'Net (67%). "Obviously, the technical ability to move toward direct democracy must be accompanied by debate about its merits and what is an appropriate level of technocratic and professional decision-making on our behalf," notes ActivMedia's Director of Information Services Chris Anne Wheeler. "Some laws are best implemented by professionals for the public good such as environmental protection, national defense, and public welfare. But virtually all online consumers polled in ActivMedia's FutureScapes agree that a sunshine policy making legislative bills, voting records, and budgets available online for public inspection would be a good idea (97%)." ------------------------------------------------------------- CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES ONLINE (Good Idea) Total Sample 4+ Yrs Online ------------ ------------- Vote for elected officials 66% 71% Vote on ballot referenda 67% 72% Search bills, voting records, budgets 97% 98% -------------------------------------------------------------- Source: FutureScapes Study, ActivMedia Research, © 1998 Survey respondents with 4+ years of online experience the greatest propensity to want to vote online. As expected, younger (under 15) as well as older (over 65) 'Netizens show a somewhat higher resistance to carrying out civic responsibilities online. The conservatives in the Northeast show a slightly greater resistance especially when it comes to voting for elected officials (63%), but essentially the desire to vote online is favored by the majority no matter their demographic background. All across the country, websites are cropping up that help voters weed through the oftentimes overwhelming amount of information on candidates and issues. The greatest challenge for voters is tracking down objective nonpartisan sources of candidate information. Trials of online voting are scarce as policy-makers grapple with issues of fraud and security. Data in this release is from ActivMedia Research's syndicated study "FutureScapes: Refining 'Net Strategy for the 21st Century." The full study of online habits and interests of 5,600 online citizens is available to purchase for $2,995 (single copy) or $5,000 (multi-user site license). ActivMedia Incorporated conducts custom and syndicated research that guides businesses to profitable online positions. Since 1994, ActivMedia has been detailing global 'Net trends and sector slices with a series of quantitative research reports, market analyses and case studies. Insightful analyses and accessible data support rational businesses decisions for clients including Andersen Consulting, Cisco, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Visa, Yahoo and Ziff-Davis. CONTACT INFORMATION ActivMedia, Inc. http://www.activmedia.com (Research Home Page) Email: research@activmedia.com Harold Wolhandler, Vice President of Market Research Chris Anne Wheeler, Director of Information Services Tel: 800-639-9481, 603-924-9100 Fax: 603-924-2184 --- end forwarded text ----------------- Robert A. Hettinga <mailto: rah@philodox.com> Philodox Financial Technology Evangelism <http://www.philodox.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'