[ncdnhc-discuss] FOCUS : Restructuring of ICANN

[Jim Fleming]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Milton Mueller" <mueller at syr.edu>

It appears to me that 
> ICANN management and Board have decided to settle most 
> issues internally among their own Task Forces.
> 

ICANN has always made the decisions internally, in their closed I* society.
The difference now is that they are willing to tell everyone that, and no longer
try to hide it. That is actually a move toward honesty, which is a good thing.
When ICANN was getting started, and working to continue the Postel Regime,
they had to claim they were open and transparent, which some people fell for.
That was at a time when .COM may have been a candidate for rebid. Instead
a regulatory (Registrar/Registry) smoke-screen was created, and the general
public bought it all, because names became $6 + franchise fees and taxes.
Instead of TLDs being added to the legacy roots in months, it took years and
then the I* insiders were all selected. Now the spin is that people do not
want more TLDs, and ICANN needs to restructure. It is all a distraction and
a delay.

--
JF