2025-01-19 Bylaw Review Meeting Minutes

Meeting Minutes & Weekly Updates
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2025-01-19 General Meeting

Meeting Minutes

Attendance

Campaign Coordinator: @chima
Education Coordinator: @Englishpete08
Secretary: @Bozzii

Agenda :

  • Review Bylaws
    • Highlight problematic wording or anything that may need to be reworded for clarity
    • Bylaw modifications can be found here
      • Please note that we are still finishing the write ups for all the bylaw modifications

Bylaw Review Notes:

  • ARTICLE IV. GOVERNANCE SECTION 2 : GENERAL MEETINGS
    • may need to change wording for asynchronous or proxy votes
  • SECTION 4: NOTIFICATION OF MEETINGS :
    • get rid of Robert’s rules from paragraph
  • SECTION 6: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY :
    • update wording for this and add it to the bylaw modifications
  • SECTION 6: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST :
    • change to section 7 on bylaw modification forum post
      • Note: this has now been updated
  • Article V SECTION 3: VOTING :
    • update language to what we voted on and add it to the doc majority vote over 50%
  • ARTICLE VI. STEERING COMMITTEE SECTION 1: ROLE AND COMPOSITION :
    • Update wording to include education coordinator position
  • ARTICLE VI. STEERING COMMITTEE : SECTION 4: COMMUNICATION :
    • 4.4 Closed Session Meeting
      • Write up language. Shouldn’t be fully closed meeting, everything should be anonymized but clear about what we are talking about
    • 4.5 Steering Committee Meeting
      • Write up language
        • Discussion :
          • what do we define as a steering committee meeting
            • Any meeting with majority steering committee
          • If we’re meeting somewhere where the general membership already decided we will be doing that should be fine as long as we’re talking about
          • If it’s on task no need to record – honor system
            • If conversation ventures record it just in case
  • 3.5. Reauthorization and Leadership Transition :
    • get rid of Membership Coordinator from paragraph
  • SECTION 1: APPOINTMENT OF AGENTS OR SPECIAL POSITIONS :
    • update language
  • SECTION 6: ACCESS TO MEMBER LISTS :
    • update language
      • Discussion :
        • everyone has everyones number bc of whatsapp and the bar is very low for the amount of meetings
        • Restricting membership info makes if difficult to to the job that steering may not want to do
2 Likes
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We ended up talking a bit after the meeting. Three steering members so summary of what we talked about is below:

1. North Central Valley DSA Fair Proposal

  • A quick conversation started about the North Central Valley DSA proposal to hold a fair with our group.
  • I plan to post more information on that proposal soon.

2. Thoughts on How to Move Forard

  • An idea came up regarding creating more mutual aid groups, inspired by examples in Los Angeles.

My Views on Mutual Aid

  • I expressed feeling blackpilled on whether mutual aid efforts translate into meaningful gains for leftist or socialist groups.
  • Talked about in my experience and reading, these projects often turn into charitable operations rather than what left group imagine they will do.
  • I will share articles I’ve been reading that highlight why these efforts have not worked out, although they are Moa-ey.

Critique of Looking to the Past

  • I also talked about the left’s tendency to cling to historical organizational models instead of examining our current day local factors.
  • There’s too much focus on replicating old frameworks instead of molding socialist ideas to new social realities.

Pete’s Perspective

  • Pete added that he’s been feeling blackpilled about what the left has been trying to do as well.
  • We agreed it’s better that we have space in our current group to discuss these ideas instead of talking to people who might not understand.

3. Observations on Where Socialists Emerge

  • I mentioned that in cities with strong Democratic Party influence, there’s a higher concentration of socialists. At the same time, that makes it difficult for new socialist groups to break through since the Democratic Party machine holds sway and Democratic voters hold strong to their party.
  • Areas with weaker Democratic Party influence, such as Stockton, don’t seem to produce many active socialists.

4. Rethinking Political Strategy for Broader Appeal

  • We should reflect on how we attract new supporters.
  • The focus can’t stay solely on people already calling themselves socialists. They are either already in WCU or alienating ultras. We should figure out ways to connect with regular voters.
  • Maybe converting typical voters into dedicated socialists might not be as effective as reshaping our political efforts to bring in those who don’t currently identify with the left.
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I have been asking “regular people” what kinds of things they think would make them willing to participate in our political activities.
The general consensus is mutual aid work

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Article VI 4.5 does that mean that the General Meeting is a Steering committee meeting?