Re: [ga] Re: Capture by a Self-interested Faction

[Avri Doria <avri@xxxxxxx>]

On 12 mar 2007, at 13.09, Karl Auerbach wrote:

> Tim Ruiz wrote:
> > The WG is made of 18 members, including only four Registries. On the
> > full committee doing the policy work on new gTLDs all constituencies
> > are represented and observers have been welcomed.
>
> "all constituencies" is not the same as "all people affected by the  
> decisions being made".

while I do not want to make any statement implying that nomcom  
appointees to the gnso (i am one) represent anyone, i can  
categorically state that they do _not_ represent any constituency.   
and while i would never presume to think of myself as representing  
'all people affected by the decisions being made', i do know that i  
and other nomcom appointees do try to bring in the concerns we see  
from this list and other lists of non constituency people who are  
affected by decisions - i think it is a big part of our job.  not  
that this is not the same as elected representatives, but i also do  
not think it is the same as 'only constituencies.'

> As we well know the latter are effectively reduced to be nothing  
> more than powerless observers who have no ability except that of  
> making comments that may be disregarded with impunity and that may  
> not even be read by those incumbent vendors and industrial  
> interests that are actually making the choices.

i do not believe they are powerless or that they are ignored with  
impunity or even could be.  they are discussed sometimes extensively,  
but i do not think we necessarily do a good enough job of responding  
to each one of the printed comments.  i can tell you, though, that  
the comments of the people who come to the meetings are not ignored  
and often these 'observers' have motivated, if not monopolized, the  
conversations on various topics.  and i thought this was a good thing.

a.