Oliver Keyes, okeyes at wikimedia.org, wrote:
... I don't see a lot of things that are likely enough to succeed and provide a meaningful impact....
That's how I feel about copyright term extension efforts, but we have been standing firm on them as a defense against the very real possibility of losses to the public domain. The sources which speak on the topics affecting volunteer lives can only go so far. At some point volunteers need to help say which efforts we think are most likely to help achieve our goals, including the existential threat of volunteer attrition.
Here is an alternative survey method, also appropriate for statistical sampling and independent validation, which includes a way for everyone to add their own suggestions in-line in real time:
http://www.allourideas.org/wmfcsdraft
... lawyers would likely consider this absolutely anathema to our legal restrictions around lobbying....
The legal department has had plenty of time to raise objections to any of the specific proposals. I would personally love for the Foundation to support a slate of candidates if volunteers could manage meaningful endorsements tied to the mission, but in the US at least, that line is drawn between issues and candidates, with parties being on the candidate side of that line. I wonder if it would be legal to formally endorse a green donkey in the US.
Best regards, James