[ncdnhc-discuss] ISOC to bid on .org

[Hans Klein]

Hola, Alejandro!

Since the year 2000 elections were the first ever, the numbers were a bit 
unusual -- smaller than one would expect (in the long run) for a voter 
reform movement.

In general, elections could serve well as a mechanism for board 
accountability.  Were ICANN to make few controversial actions, then its 
elections would attract little attention.  Elections serve mostly as insurance.

The mistake the board has made is to confuse a voter movement to enforce 
accountability with electoral irresponsibility.  Karl and Andy were exactly 
the right people to elect to the board in 2000.  Voter perceived ICANN as 
"out of control," and they held ICANN accountable by electing 
reformers.  The system worked.

The solution is not to reject Karl and Andy or elections in general.  It is 
to heed the message that they bring.

Alejandro, I know that you work in ICANN from good motives.  I just wish 
you could see that ICANN's problems could be most quickly solved if the 
staff and board would replace the current strategy of resistance with one 
of consensus-building.  ICANN could then become boring!

Hans










At 07:49 PM 6/7/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Hans,
>
>just to talk a bit, close to the weekend: according to your measures,
>ICANN is a great success and hugely non-controversial, as only a
>thousandth of the population you say is concerned has ever made itself
>apparent. Glad to have you vouch for us.
>
>Or is there something wrong with your reasoning?
>
>Alejandro Pisanty
>
>
>.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
>      Dr. Alejandro Pisanty
>Director General de Servicios de Computo Academico
>UNAM, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
>Av. Universidad 3000, 04510 Mexico DF Mexico
>Tel. (+52-55) 5622-8541, 5622-8542 Fax 5550-8540
>http://www.dgsca.unam.mx
>*
>** 10 Aniversario de Internet Society - www.inet2002.org en Washington, DC
>---->> Unete a ISOC Mexico, www.isoc.org
>  Participa en ICANN, www.icann.org
>.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .
>
>
>
>On Fri, 7 Jun 2002, Hans Klein wrote:
>
> > At 07:00 AM 6/7/2002 -0700, Kent Crispin wrote:
> >
> > >In last years CIRA election they enrolled all voters in a lottery w/
> > >$15000 in prizes, as an added inducement to vote.  In spite of that, out
> > >of 90000 members, ~3000 voted, a 3-4% voter turnout.  You can spin 
> that how
> > >you like, but to me, that is a serious "apparent difficulty" that
> > >doesn't give me a lot of warm fuzzy feelings about the election, or the
> > >future stability of CIRA:
> >
> > I disagree that this voter turnout indicates a problem.
> >
> > As I understand it, there are few controversies over the management of
> > CIRA.  Therefore, there is little to which voters need to hold management
> > accountable.  Hence the low turnout.
> >
> > But let's say the CIRA board started proactively making public policy or
> > was seen to be engaged in inside dealing with its friends.  In that case,
> > one could that voter turnout would greatly increase.  Members would get
> > involved and hold the board accountable.
> >
> > Seen as an accountability mechanism, elections only really kick in when
> > problems arise.
> >
> > I think the same holds for ICANN.  The 2000 elections successfully held the
> > board accountable for its actions, and a number of reformers were elected.
> >
> > If the ICANN board's actions were less controversial (I believe this is
> > definitely possible), then ICANN elections would become boring.   That has
> > always been everyone's goal: boring elections that indicate that ICANN is
> > staying out of controversy.
> >
> > Instead, ICANN has proposed to eliminate the elections.  So now we can
> > spend another year or two redesigning this institution or perhaps
> > ultimately junking it.
> >
> > Too bad the ICANN board has not chosen the CIRA model!
> >
> > Hans
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Discuss mailing list
> > Discuss at icann-ncc.org
> > http://www.icann-ncc.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
> >