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The quest for ever more "participatory democracy" leads the well-known, left-of-center city in Southern California to establish a network of computer terminals to allow citizens to discuss public affairs "on-line"- both with each other and with elected officials. The case reviews the two years of the system''s operation, including a description of the PEN system''s apparent effect in influencing a new city policy on homelessness. The relatively small number of users, however, as well as the indifference of some elected officials to the system, raises questions both about the extent of the impact of such a system and whether technological innovation dramatically changes assumptions about the role of representative democracy.