| Re: [ga] FW: Comment from the gTLD Registry Constituency
 Leah, and fellow Assembly members: Leah>>Users must have a substantial vote on any policy that impacts them under 
present conditions. I do not have a 
problem with this concept -- the new GNSO does provide users with a substantial 
voice.  The problem is that, as currently defined, users have an 
overwhelming vote, which provides users the opportunity (and perhaps the motive) 
to ignore the voice of providers and still claim consensus - and force providers 
to implement such policies.  This plan does not provide equal 
representation. There is clear agreement that parties affected by policies 
(ie. users and providers) must have a voice.  What users & providers 
need to do is to find a way to restore *parity* in the new GNSO.  The 
current decision model, based on numerical ways to achieve decisions, provides 
no parity between users & providers.  As long as we stick with a 
numerical votes method, we then are responsible to ensure that this method does 
not disadvantage one group with respect to the other. Left unchanged, the current plan inevitably 
pits users against providers, when both parties should be equal members around 
the table trying to solve the "real" issues at hand.  Left unchanged, the 
underpinnings of the GNSO will be threatened at every significant turn.  
Left unchanged, the GNSO will become a body whose policy-making ability and 
authority will be severely curtailed, if not destroyed. We need to work together to reach agreement -- so 
that the goals of reform don't get abandoned before we even begin. Ram --------------------------------------------------------  Ram Mohan Vice President, Business Operations Afilias.INFO p: +1-215-706-5700; f: +1-215-706-5701 e: rmohan@afilias.info -------------------------------------------------------- |