So then: make a proposal for a better process, post it to this list.

Alright. Here is a first cut of my proposal. It can be inserted into an amended BIP 1 after "What belongs in a successful BIP?". Let me know what you think.



The following section applies to BIPs that affect the block chain consensus rules or the peer to peer protocol and thus require changes to Bitcoin Core. 

Once a draft BIP has been submitted to bitcoin-development for consideration, the Bitcoin Core maintainer will deliver a preliminary yes/no verdict within three weeks. This verdict may be informed by the debate that has taken part in the previous three weeks. If more time is required, the maintainer is required to request an extension from the BIP author, who may then elect to force an immediate decision (risking a no), or choosing to allow more time.

The verdict will meet the following criteria:
  • It will address the latest version of the BIP at the time the verdict is rendered.

  • In case of a rejection, it will spell out and describe the technical rationale for this decision. Opinions held by other people are not considered technical rationales: if the maintainer agrees with a technical point made during discussion, he must own that opinion for himself. Therefore no BIP will be rejected on grounds of controversy, disagreement, lack of consensus or otherwise.

  • In case of rejection, the maintainer will provide a clear, specific list of actionable steps the BIP author can take next. For example, a list of what changes would address the technical objections raised. In case the maintainer believes no change could ever make the BIP acceptable, the list must consist of instructions for how to create a patch set and, in the case of changes to the consensus rules, how to initiate a hard fork.
A BIP, even once rejected, may live on in the BIPS repository, though its entry in the index may be sorted below others. The BIP author may update the BIP with a summary of any resulting discussion. As such a summary may be inherently contentious in case of a dispute, the authors wording of that summary is final and may not be subject to meta-debate.