For Americans in general and members of the Greater Oxnard Organization of Democrats in particular, all current indicators are pointing toward an acceleration of political pace between November 2009 and November 2010.   Crises beget opportunities.  So the opportunities are many.
In addition to the elections, which will determine if Obama is able to sustain the political momentum he needs to meet the plethora of crises he inherited,  there is every  reason to think that the impact of economic meltdown  will  continue to occupy our attention.  Continuing job losses are producing foreclosures, which, in turn, undermine even better managed local financial institutions and strain the welfare network, which is state and local as much as it is national.   Media hyped and well funded tea party organizers will keep trying to rally those dispossessed by the very policies they advocate, increasing our need for local grassroots truth squads.  Our dysfunctional state government, whose shortfalls are being passed down to local governments and special districts, needs the overhaul that will have to come from intelligent initiative propositions as well as from those we help elect.  Certainly we will face the usual barrage of misleading propositions, requiring help for ordinary voters to sort out essentials from initiatives set up as decoys to entrap the unwary.
Our proposed revisions of the bylaws are designed to make the Club more flexible and more efficient in marshaling the resources we need to meet these challenges.  They recognize our shift toward more electronic communications and the institutional changes required by the campaign finance laws that govern our activities. They will enable the president and board to fill positions requiring communication and information technology skills —such as newsletter, publicity, and precinct field operations — with appointees who have the necessary skills but who may not be able to make deeper  commitments as elected officers of the club.  Use of Standing Rules in addition to bylaws will make the committee structure and the composition of part of the executive board flexible as well.  Our election cycle will no longer take energies away from general elections every other year.  Club elections following general elections will facilitate recruitment of newly identified talent.
You can help meet the challenges we face by becoming part of the team needed to refine and expand the presence of the Democratic Party in the Oxnard-Port Hueneme area.   Don’t be shy about contacting me or the nominating committee about serving on the Executive Board or one of large number of committees needed to make the GOOD Club effective across the broad range of concerns and needs we face.   Now and for next year we especially need persons with basic email and computer experience.  A guru you need not be because the array of internet resources now available makes people with simple basic email literacy able to  do  tasks that used to be reserved for geeks.  The small amount of on-the-job training you need may significantly widen your horizons.  Think of coming to the aid of your party and your principles as an opportunity, not just a duty.
Allen Dirrim (805) 216 7672 or thegoodclub@yahoo.com