It is no secret that ICANN and the U.S. Commerce Department are engaged in intensive negotations over the future of their relationship as we approach the expiration of the current Joint Project Agreement. We have no inside information about what will happen, but we do suspect that there will be some kind of a new agreement that breaks some new ground. We have already seen the U.S. Congress openly ask for some kind of permanent charter or agreement (which of course we think would be a mistake) and such a new agreement could have long term consequences. Shouldn't ICANN's constituencies and participants be allowed to have their say before ICANN itself signs on to it?