>> I think the US Congress owes it to the Internet community, who have paid
such a high price for involvement in the launches of the new TLDs, to remove those
in ICANN who have been responsibly for these sorry events, and to ensure the integrity
of a newly constituted ICANN through the representation which favours users rather
than providers. I agree. However I keep coming to the conclusion that governments
have their own agenda and do as they please. OK, they have to react carefully on
issues that are on the minds of most of the voters (if they want to get voted in
again), but for technical issues that most people are not aware of, they are not
interested in 'doing the right thing'.
Since ICANN has such tremendous responsibiliy
over the entire Internet, I imagine the DoC has very strong reasons for making sure
it is not and never will be transparent or accountable. To do so would reduce their
own hold on it. At the moment they decide the rules for the whole world's online
community.
The days when governments acted in the best interests of the people
who put them there, are long gone. These days it's all a games of lies and corruption.
I
have no doubt that both the UK government and the US government have little regard
for their people. Politicians are individuals who are motivated by power. Their main
drive is not to utilise all the resources available to them to maximise the benefit
to the public. No, their main drive is their own career, and the backward handshaking
that is going on behind the scenes. They have had to stamp on hundreds of heads and
pull thousands of dirty tricks to get to the prominent positions they are in.
To
get back to what you were saying, I don't the US government cares at all about the
ICANN/ Afilias culture. It's not part of their own agenda. I am convinced the DoC
has very strong reasons for making sure it is not transparent or accountable.