Chuck,
This is where there is a single major disagreement. We all agree
that "ICANN is all of the SOs and ACs and SGs and Cs; [and] it is
not just staff or the Board". That is not the issue. The source of
disagreement is over whether or not that inclusive
multistakeholder ICANN has total domain over the RDS system within
the larger scope of Internet governance, or instead, ICANN only
has domain over the RDS system within its well delineated remit.
The disagreement is with regard to the wider remit of Internet
governance beyond ICANN. That wider remit includes individual
national Internet policy and regional/global (UN/multilateral)
Internet policy. For worse or better, that wider remit may
dominate ICANN policy implementation. In that wider Internet
governance remit ICANN (inclusive and multistakeholder) is a
vested interest "third party" stakeholder. ICANN can champion good
strategy and best practice within its remit. ICANN can champion
good strategy and best practice as a stakeholder in that wider
remit. However, ICANN does not have the authority to dominate or
determine national and multilateral policy. Its role there is as a
stakeholder, hopefully pressing for the common good, and certainly
trying to protect the boundaries of its own remit. That is as
clearly as I can say it so I will shut up and return to supporting
the best RDS policy ICANN can craft.
Let me point out that for the sake of this discussion, ICANN is not some third party; we are ICANN. ICANN is all of the SOs and ACs and SGs and Cs; it is not just staff or the Board. It is our task as a WG to try to develop answers to the questions that have been asked and develop policy if possible for an RDS system. The GNSO Council will then decide whether we have followed proper procedures and process and, if so, forward our policy recommendations to the Board. Nothing can become policy unless the Board approves it and they have a responsibility to respect the multistakeholder process that we are all a part of in ICANN.
Chuck
-- ------------------------------------------------ "It is a disgrace to be rich and honoured in an unjust state" -Confucius 邦有道，贫且贱焉，耻也。邦无道，富且贵焉，耻也 ------------------------------------------------ Dr Sam Lanfranco (Prof Emeritus & Senior Scholar) Econ, York U., Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - M3J 1P3 email: Lanfran@Yorku.ca Skype: slanfranco blog: http://samlanfranco.blogspot.com Phone: +1 613-476-0429 cell: +1 416-816-2852