[governance] Reinstate the Vote

[Milton L Mueller]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kieren McCarthy [mailto:kierenmccarthy at gmail.com]
>
> What you are saying is: I want you to reinstate a system that broke down
> and has caused seven years of argument.
> 

Kieren, if you're interested in "public participation" then you have to offer people some form of direct influence. What Dan Krimm was saying was simply that rational people don't invest time and effort in participation for participation's sake. They want a reasonable chance that their voices and preferences matter. Voting gave them that. Things like ALAC and sending emails to a comment board that has no influence other than what those in positions of authority choose to give it, don't. 

To say that voting for the Board "broke down" is factually false; this is all well-documented and there's no need to rehash the debate. 

To say that voting was wrong because it caused "seven years of argument" is a rather dangerous statement for you to make: ICANN has caused ten years of argument and the arguments will continue for years -- does that mean should we get rid of it, too? 

Apparently, your real job is not promoting "public participation" but promoting "public participation on terms and conditions that ICANN's managers choose." I would encourage you to look into Hong Kong's system of selecting a Chief Executive, which was imposed on it by mainland China. It was designed to block direct elections but provide some form of public input, while making sure that nothing can happen that the mainland government does not control. Some of us with broader political experience are quite familiar with such structures. 


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