RE: [ALSC-Forum] New Forum Questions

[Bruce Young]

OK.  I'll bite . . .

> To what degree should the general Internet community be involved in
> ICANN?

They should be given the opportunity to contribute to the degree their 
interest demands.

> Should individual users simply share their views with ICANN's
  Board via emails and on-line forums?

This should be an option, Yes.  But not the only one.

> Should individual users be involved in some formally structured,
> systematic way in ICANN's decision-making process?

Yes.  At the very least we should be voting for the board members that
represent us.

> Should they be encouraged to form platforms,constituencies or parties
> representing particular points of view instead of the regional focus
> of past elections? 

Yes. Although I like the idea of regional representation, I feel that
there is something to be said for a certian number of directors being
voted in by the entire @Large membership as well. 

> Or should individual users' involvement be limited to electing
> At-Large Directors?

No.  Democracy demands discourse.  

> There are countless other ways to involve users and for them to play
> a role in ICANN decision-making... which ones do you think are best,
> and why?

OK.  Here's my "shopping list:"

-  All directors should be elected positions.  Appointees are 
accountable to no one except those who appointed them.  The Internet
belongs to everyone.  Everyone should have a say in how its run.

-  Director term limits should be fixed and inviolate, and elections
should be regular scheduled events, without fail.

-  Directors should listen to (and be accountable to!) their constituents,
and be expected to vote their constituents' wishes (or be voted out of 
office next session if they don't!).

-  The @Large forum should be a permanent fixture.  As I said before, 
democracy demands discourse.

-  At the very least, all issues to be voted on by the board should be 
brought to the @Large forum for discussion for a certian period prior
to the vote, so that directors can gauge the consensus of their 
constituents

-  A certian number of most-critical rules or issues, particularly 
those that affect the rights of the @Large community, should be approved
as part of a "General Election" of all interested @Large community 
members.

-  Registration rules need to be clarified, and anyone desiring 
membership in the @Large community should be given the opportunity 
to do so.  Particularly, a means must be found to include as many 
people as possible from the "fringes" of society: the poor, the 
homeless, transient workers, etc.  As more and more business, 
government and educational resources move onto the Internet, they 
and their children will need to have equal access to them.  So they
should have a say now in how the Internet is configured and 
controlled, even if the circumstances of their lives limit their
access to public access terminals at the local library or homeless
shelter!  

Notes:

-  The above are intentionally broad, just to forward the concepts.  
Specifics should be up to the @Large community to decide!

-  The US has over 220 years experience running the mechanics of
democratic institutions, and lots of people who know the process.  
Hire a couple of them onto the ICANN staff and turn them loose!  
By doing it all on line and automating it, the entire process 
could be handled with just a few people!

> We would be grateful for responses to the above questions.

We would be grateful if you implement them!  :)