Dean, I'm confused here.

Why are you filing an appeal? Filing appeals tends to make everyone
grumpy and tends to increase the confrontation level of the whole
situation.

Based on your message it sounds like what you're trying to do is to
ask the IETF community to modify the document because you believe the
document has significant technical problems.

It sounds like you think the working group already should have dealt
with your comments. That may or may not be true. But does it matter?
IT seems like most of your goals would be met if your comments were
dealt with, regardless of whether or not it was done at an ietf level
or at a working group level.

so, if your goal is to get your comments dealt with, I think there is
a simpler and much more productive path you could take. Send your
comments to iesg@ietf.org (and copy gro if you like) as last call
comments.

doing so does not prevent you from filing an appeal later if the IESG
approves the document and you still believe that there are significant
technical problems. Obviously I'd ask you to work towards compromise.

Yours in confusion,

--Sam