[ppml] Policy process

[Michael.Dillon at btradianz.com]

>    What I find most disturbing in your comments is the way you 
> characterize
> the policy process as proposals being accepted by "the small group of 
> people
> who happened to be present at one of ARIN's member meetings".
> 
>    First, I think you know better than this, as you have been an active 
> participant
> in the ARIN policy process for several years.

Whether I, a single person, happen to be present or not,
does not change the fact that the policies are made by a 
relatively small group of people.

>    ARIN policies are not even generally discussed at ARIN member 
meetings.
>    They are discussed at ARIN Public Policy meetings which are open to 
> ARIN
> members and non-members alike.

You are splitting hairs. There are meetings twice a year.
Part of the time, these meetings are open to all, and part
of the time they are not. Nevertheless, the meetings are
attended by a small number of people.

>    They are not accepted or rejected at the Public Policy meetings, 
> either.  The
> Public Policy meetings combined with the content of the public policy 
> mailing list
> on the subject are used by the ARIN Advisory Council (an elected 
> representative
> body) to gage consensus on the policy.  If the AC determines there is 
> consensus
> for the policy, then it is published for last call to the PPML for 
> another round of
> comments.  Barring any extraordinary objections, the AC will then 
> recommend
> the policy be adopted by the ARIN board.  The ARIN board reviews the 
> policy,
> and, unless there is some extraordinary problem (legal liability 
> issue, etc.)
> with the policy in the board's perspective, the policy is adopted.

As you have pointed out in detail, the ARIN AC does not do much more
than gauge the consensus of the small group of people who discuss
the policy proposals on the list and at the meetings. It is my 
impression that more discussion takes place at meetings than on
the list and since there is a straw poll taken at meetings, they
appear to have more weight than the list.

--Michael Dillon