Public Notice: It’s Okay to Gloat ... Just a Little

"Elections have consequences" was the mantra from Republican leadership four years ago, as they tried to stretch a razor-thin electoral victory into a sweeping mandate to roll back decades of progress on social programs and social justice reforms, voting rights, minority rights, human rights, and just about every other kind of rights except gun rights and the political right. Turns out they overstepped by a good margin, and if the Nov. 3 election results fell way short of the sweeping rebuke Democrats were hoping for, they still confirmed a decisive thumbs-down for the current president and his particular brand of venom.

So now there will be a pendulum swing back the other way. And because Democrats are by nature more reticent to exert power unilaterally, there will be a lot of hand-wringing over just how far they ought to take that. And in Texas particularly there's already angst over whether Austin socialism scared too many voters in other parts of the state. That's okay; there'll be time for that to play out, and the "arc of the moral universe" and demographics both still bend the right way. But, meanwhile, we can all just breathe a sigh of relief that the bully and his pulpit will soon be separated. Now comes the hard part.

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Elections don't take effect immediately. Local education advocate Rebecca Bell-Metereau finally won a seat on the State Board of Education and might help drag that body into the 20th century, but she won't take office quite yet (plus Republicans still hold nine of the 15 seats). Meanwhile, the SBOE meets next week, Nov. 17-20, to take a final vote on the state health and science curriculum standards – which the folks at Texas Freedom Network describe as "our last shot to make sure that comprehensive, LGBTQ-inclusive sex education and the realities of climate change are taught in all Texas public schools." They're asking people to register to testify at the virtual hearing (register before 5pm this Friday, Nov. 13) and/or to submit a public comment (also by Friday); see www.tfn.org for all the info and guidance you'll need.

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SIMS Presents: Music for the Mind – a virtual fundraiser for that very worthy nonprofit that provides mental health and substance use recovery services and support for musicians and the music community – will be broadcast from Arlyn Studios, 6-10pm this evening, Thu., Nov. 12. $10 tickets (at www.simsfoundation.org/events) get you an evening of local music direct from this iconic recording studio and hosted by musician, producer, and mental health advocate Joe Barksdale (who just so happens to have graced the Chronicle cover on Oct. 9).

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The eighth annual Fall Into Music instrument drive kicks off today as well and runs Nov. 12-18, as Austin Soundwaves collects new and gently used instruments, books, and accessories and distributes them to area schools and youth music programs. See www.austinsoundwaves.org/fallintomusic for info about hours and drop-off locations (KMFA, the Long Center, and Hopsquad Brewing Co.) or to schedule a pickup if you can't do drop-off. Donations are tax deduct­ible, and they're also collecting stories about donated instruments in a new "Instruments of Austin" initiative, to be presented on their website.

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The Austin Humane Society's 15th annual Rags to Wags Gala isn't until Nov. 21, but the silent auction opens up this coming Monday, Nov. 16; see www.ahsragstowags.org for all the poop.

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Press Release of the Week: "Author Available: Who's Ready for Joe Biden to Shut the Country Down With His Death Panel of Deep State Doctors?"

I'm gonna say we'll likely pass on that one.