[ppml] Proposed Changes to ARIN Policy Proposal Process

[william at elan.net]

I'd like people on this mailing to pay take very good look at what is 
being proposed at http://www.arin.net/policy/process_changes/, this is 
very serious revision of the process in my view both good and bad.

First few slides about "Submitting a Policy Proposal" and "AC role" seems 
quite good, its good to have AC comment on proposals and make sure they 
are well written - I would like however this to be more public on this 
mailing list, rather then in private to authors, but either one is 
acceptable as long as authors are accomodated. Timing seems very similar 
to what we have right now, so I have no comment there.

What I do have major comment are last slide as well as what was said on 
the live meeting. Basicly the ideas is that proposals will in general be 
brought in by AC (AC creates proposals out of ideas that they think are 
good and would be accepted) and be discussed and accepted by consensus on 
live public policy meeting that the DECISIVE role will be left to the 
meeting and NOT TO MAILING LIST as is done currently. This means that few 
companies on the meeting with help from AC and BoT will dominate the 
decisions (and as I have already commented many times and which is not 
disputed is that 50% of meeting attendies are from large ISPs, while 
these companies make only 5% of ARIN membership and far far less as far 
as general ARIN community) - seems like we're abandoning idea of internet 
democracy and rather would like to institute "Corporate Democracy" or 
Roman Senate like situation as far as decision making process. I'm very 
very concerned about this and while its probably a futile cause to change 
this general direction, I'd like people and primarily small companies 
that make majority of ARIN to seriously consider if this is what they 
want from ARIN.

On Wed, 9 Apr 2003, Member Services wrote:

> 
> The ARIN Board of Trustees is considering making
> changes to the ARIN Internet Resource Policy
> Evaluation Process. These changes were discussed at
> the ARIN XI meeting in Memphis, on April 7, 2003.
> 
> The presentation slides are located at:
> 
> http://www.arin.net/policy/process_changes/
> 
> Comments are welcome and encouraged and should be
> sent to the Public Policy Mailing List (ppml at arin.net).
> 
> 
> Member Services
> American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)