Re: This is not good news.

[Hank Nussbacher <hank () ibm net il>]

At 15:38 23/06/99 -0700, Henry R. Linneweh wrote:
> Betsy Hart: Shadowy group is taking control of Internet!
> http://www.azstarnet.com/public/dnews/0623CV2.html
>
> Imposition of taxes and other power plays. Seems like history
> repeating itself and setting a dangerous precedent.
>
> Taxation of the network and making US citizens bare
> the brunt of the cost is UNACCEPTABLE PERIOD.
>
> Increasing rates to ISP's and backbone providers is
> and reverse method of taxation on the consumer in
> the end for government benefit,
> UNACCEPTABLE PERIOD.

<flame>
Oh please!  NSI is playing every one of you for saps.  Follow the money.
Who is making money right now by the delay?  Not ICANN.  A tax?  You have
got to be kidding.  It is a cost to cover expenses - might be $.50, might
even $.30.  Go ahead - put a cap put on the cost of running ICANN.  Build a
different cost model to support the operation of ICANN.  Oh wait - ARIN has
one.  No one calls the fee ISPs pay ARIN - a form of taxation.  Calling it
a tax is playing into NSI's hands. 

Internet governance?  Another nice buzzword thrown around to make people
shy away from ICANN.  ICANN has nothing to do with encryption, copyright,
taxation, censorship, etc.  Those who want to torpedo ICANN and to put the
whole process back by 2 years - want you to think that ICANN can and will
do all those things.  Assigning domain names is administrative.  Don't let
anyone convince you otherwise.  You don't like cybersquatters or trademark
bandits?  Take them to court.  Leave ICANN (and NSI for that matter) out of
it.
</flame>

-Hank


> Henry