Americans should look in the mirror. Four decades ago, electoral politics meant party organizations, rallies and substantive issue differences between opposing political parties. Today, individuals who never rang a doorbell, passed out a piece of literature or served on a political committee can bash traditional precinct committeemen and party workers as hacks and flunkies. Boosting this new millennium style politics are the computer, the Web sites and the Internet.
Technology covers nicely the twin sins of diminishing political participation and political debate.
Be you an urbanite, suburbanite, collar countyite or ruralite, these three issues, singularly and in combination, will continue to guide your voting choices. The 21st century will see this trend accelerate, and Illinois politics will reflect the growth in the state's ongoing suburban population expansion and economic power. Only at this local level will there be old-fashioned retail politics, though even here things like direct mail expenses might push campaign costs to unforeseen heights. Unless there is meaningful campaign finance reform, American national politics will resemble a Sotheby's auction - people will simply bid for the office they wish to hold. New voters and puny political organizations will open up election and opportunities for individual candidates regardless of their party affiliation.