> responsible policy decisions in an open democracy, > instead of the current system of fuedal kingdoms.
Feudalism has its merits, and shouldn't be tossed aside without consideration. It was a basic organizing principle of Usenet. Ultimately, what goes on with the equipment you control is your own decision. Which is as it should be. ICANN doesn't "run" a doggone thing, and what determines how this network operates IS a matter of consensus - ICANN or no ICANN. Feudalism also has the advantage of a built-in separation of powers. If the weight of relevant opinion of people who actually have something to do with the interoperability of the internet is running against you, then you've got to answer to your customers as to why your chunk of cyberspace works "differently". But with enough independent feudal lords, no one nutcase is going to pull some large de-stabilizing stunt - not since Kashpureff anyway. The jury is still out on whether notions of "democracy" have more staying power than feudalism did.
