Is the CSS working group irrelevent?

Ian Hixie thinks so...

...the problem of the CSS working group not being open. Many of the members of the CSS working group have a mentality that view the Web community (such as those who e-mail the www-style mailing list) as a resource, not as potentially equal members of the community...

Will we see a 'grass-roots' attempt at defining an alternative spec (what the WHATWG call 'CSS 5')?

My guess yes...

Kevin Lawver has posted already about the difficulty of being on the CSS-WG.

The CSS Working Group is in jeopardy of becoming irrelevant, and unless the group gets new blood and can open up, we're in real trouble.

Am I happy about the possibility of another non-w3c effort to define the standards? Not sure.

Concerns

I am still concerned that HTML 5 will end up in favour or browser vendors, and that accessibility and semantics deemed 'irrelevant'. At least the WHATWG approach allows, open discussion and critisism - which is very commendable - I just hope that is enough.