[governance] NTIA announcement on JPA

[Bret Fausett]

I didn't read this "announcement" as announcing much at all. I  
wouldn't be too quick to read much into it.

As far as whether ICANN ever will be privatized, remember that the  
document that started us on this process was a 1996 publication of the  
Clinton Administration. Clinton started the ball rolling, but left it  
to the next administration, Bush, to complete. When the JPA was agreed  
in 2006, to resolve in 2009, Bush, in turn, effectively passed the  
task to the next administration, McCain/Clinton/Obama, to complete. I  
don't think it's realistic to expect that new administration, whoever  
is leading it, six months into its term in office, to privatize ICANN  
completely in September, 2009. "Giving away the Internet," which is  
what it will be called by ICANN's political opponents here in the  
U.S., is politically risky. The understandable inclination of U.S.  
politicians, even those who might agree with the concept of  
privatizing these global resources, is to delay, and leave it to  
someone else to finally make it happen.

    Bret
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