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

***********


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IP: House Commerce likely to hold ICANN hearings; anti-ICANN letters Dave Farber (Jun 22)