What Democrats need to win in midterm elections

Today's Opinions

Thursday, April 28

Once Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gains control of Twitter, observers are betting he will restore former President Donald Trump's account.

Democrats need to play hardball for country to survive 2022 election

The midterms, criminal justice reform and Elon Musk

Friday is so close y'all. Here's what we have for today:

Democrats need to play hardball for country to survive 2022 election

By Jill Lawrence

It's astonishing to watch Republicans throwing public education, free speech, LGBTQ rights, parental rights, abortion rights and corporations like Disney under the bus, along with fair elections, voting equity, telling the truth and obeying the law. Imagine all of America subjected to the casual cruelty and hypocrisy of a Ron DeSantis or a Greg Abbott.

This might be good politics to win the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, but much of the country is looking on in horror.

If Democrats and their like-minded allies want the America they love to survive, they need to fight and win – starting with the Nov. 8 elections for 35 senators, 36 governors and all 435 House members. So far, they've been heading toward Armageddon armed with plastic butter knives and major accomplishments that voters know nothing about. But there are signs the party's aversion to hardball could be changing.

Biden signs executive order on Earth Day

Associated Press

What if Elon Musk had spent $44 billion on charity instead of Twitter?

By Suzette Hackney

Elon Musk's pending purchase of Twitter has Americans either anxious or celebrating – and filling timelines with millions of fraught tweets about the billionaire's $44 billion offer.

"Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated," Musk tweeted Monday to his nearly 87 million followers.

There are so many questions:

Backlash against progressive prosecutors is misguided

By Larry Strauss

Progressive prosecutors, including Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon, are facing a backlash in several cities. Gascon's counterpart in San Francisco, Chesa Boudin, is even facing a recall election. And there's an effort to recall Gascon as well – for doing exactly what he said he would do.

Let's not pretend that our criminal justice system has not been badly broken for a long time. It may work satisfactorily for people with financial resources, but for everyone else, an encounter with law enforcement or a district attorney is potentially devastating.

Let's also not pretend that there is legitimacy to the false choice between mass incarceration, with an indifference to innocence and criminal impunity, and the rise in violent crime that Americans have witnessed in recent years.

More columns to read today

•	GOP has hit rock bottom. Dems should absolutely exploit that.
•	Abortions in Mexico? If Roe v. Wade is overturned, options still exist
•	Elon Musk is trolling us with his billions. That's kind of terrible.
•	Moving to a new state? You should be allowed to keep your therapist.