RE: [council] Draft Call for papers, new gTLD PDP

["Marilyn Cade" <marilynscade@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am confused by this discussion. 

 

One cannot develop policy without information and it is critical to
understand the "issue" before one develops policy. As the V.P. of policy
issues for the Internet for a multi national corporation, the policy
development process always included understanding the issue. :-) both from a
technology perspective and from a legal perspective. 

 

I would sincerely hope that the Council would not take the point of view
that understanding issues and information gathering, to include "opinions"
and views of the constituencies, but not limited to that, are essential
parts of policy development.

 

Of course, there are those who think that policy is  merely "opinion", 'or
views', and that has always been one of the objections to policy
development. I am not a fan of the present PDP process because it is too
narrow and we keep having to "color" outside the lines in order to get the
data we need, the information we need, etc. 

 

I would note that IDNs is a good example, as is the new gTLD policy
development process-of the need for more information, not less. Opinions
have to be backed up by analysis and by information. Otherwise, they are
merely opinions. When they are founded on analysis and thoughtful
consideration, then we are "making sausage" the right way, as they say about
policy development [sorry for the US colloquialism - in the development of
policy it is often described as similar to making sausage - messy, but tasty
when done right!]

 

Of course, we need to understand the issues - NOT merely the different
"points of view" of all constituencies and the ALAC, but the issues from the
SSAC perspective, from the perspective of  governmental entities, of the
CCNSO, of the ASO, etc. 

 

The Council does itself well, and serves ICANN and the community best when
it is thoughtful, informed, educated about issues and pros and cons,
understands the impact of a policy on the Internet - within ICANN's core
mission and core values - and balanced in its policy outcomes. :-) That is
policy that the Board can be proud of accepting.

 

 

 

  _____  

From: owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Philip Sheppard
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 10:17 AM
To: council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [council] Draft Call for papers, new gTLD PDP

 

 

Ross Rader wrote: (the emphasis is mine): 

The PDP is our policy development process. It is 
NOT our issue understanding process, 
NOT our information gathering process,  
NOT our getting our technology acts together process. 

Each of these is distinct and important, but we need to keep them separate
from the policy development process. 
----- 

I agree. This is an informed thought to start the year. 

Philip