Interesting People mailing list archives
IP: House Commerce likely to hold ICANN hearings; anti-ICANN letters
From: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1999 23:10:48 -0400
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 09:02:35 -0400 To: politech () vorlon mit edu From: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com> [Attached is the letter from Americans for Tax Reform (atr.org) on ICANN that is scheduled to go out today to House Commerce committee members. --Declan] ********* http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/20293.html ICANN Too Tax You by Declan McCullagh 3:00 a.m. 18.Jun.99.PDT WASHINGTON -- The controversial organization created to manage Internet domain names likely will be the subject of a House committee hearing designed to investigate whether it is making decisions behind closed doors that could harm US consumers. Tax and government watchdog groups are sending letters Friday clamoring for action, arguing that Congress should investigate fees the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is planning to charge anyone with a dot com domain name. "We have the potential for a fledgling regulatory entity that's already showing signs of being somewhat secretive and top-down in its management style," said Leslie Paige, vice president of Citizens Against Government Waste. "Before they get the power and make some permanent decisions, let's get some questions answered. The public has a huge stake in this." [...remainder snipped...] ************ June 17, 1999 Dear Member, Americans for Tax Reform is dedicated to opposing all tax increases as a matter of principle. The government^Òs, the only entity that may legally assess a tax, power to control one^Òs life derives from its power to tax. We believe that power should be minimized. Nothing could be more damaging to our guaranteed liberties as U.S. citizens than to have our government taxing and regulating individuals without representation. Recently, ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) imposed a taxation requirement on every person that registers a domain name. This illegal tax will be repealed by the passage of HR 749, sponsored by Congressman Terry and S 705, sponsored by Senator John Ashcroft. However, passage of this legislation will only address one element of the harm that ICANN has begun to inflict. A much larger concern is, the legitimacy of the creation of ICANN in the first place. This entity's legitimacy, organized as a private non-profit corporation that answers to the Commerce Department, is questionable. One is left to wonder how this organization can have powers greater than the government, such as imposing taxes without the approval of a legislative body, simply by answering to a government agency. Further, my understanding is that this organization has expressly threatened the existence of a successful technology company, Network Solutions, Inc.(NSI). Of course, ICANN has provided an alternative -- surrendering all intellectual property rights to ICANN and giving ICANN the permission to effectively put NSI out of business on 15 days notice. Taxation without representation, onerous regulation of the engine of our continued economic expansion, deprivation of a private citizen's right to own property, and exercising seeming governmental powers ICANN^Òs operations must be examined. On behalf of the taxpayer's movement, as represented by the Americans for Tax Reform, I call on you to seek the appropriate oversight hearings. If ICANN's defenders are correct then the hearings will prove their actions justified. If the taxpayers are correct then ICANN must be stopped as scheme of the Commerce Department to hinder competition and deprive individuals of Constitutional liberties. Indeed, oversight hearings may be the only way to ever discover exactly what this organization is attempting in cooperation with the Commerce Department. While ICANN continues to act as a governmental entity none of its decisions, meetings or directors are subject to sunshine laws. Further, ICANN has refused to hold open board meetings, or explain how the Board was chosen. Yet, ICANN operates with international academics and business executives serving as board members who are acting to put NSI, an American company out of business. I look forward to discussing this issue with you at your convenience. If you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact me, or Bartlett Cleland of my staff. Onward, Grover G. Norquist *********** -------------------------------------------------------------------------- POLITECH -- the moderated mailing list of politics and technology To subscribe: send a message to majordomo () vorlon mit edu with this text: subscribe politech More information is at http://www.well.com/~declan/politech/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------
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- IP: House Commerce likely to hold ICANN hearings; anti-ICANN letters Dave Farber (Jun 22)