While I'm happy about who won, I am deeply troubled because

[garybeck]

~49% of the voters of Alabama voted for Moore.

Something is very wrong there.

WTF.

Seriously.

That's pretty f'd up.

[Beakybird]

1. Majorly f'ed up

57% of white college educated women voted for Moore. The vast majority of white Alabamans are racist to the core. There's no other way to extrapolate. It almost seems like they would destroy their child's future if they were told that by doing so that they would destroy the futures of two minority children.

[alarimer]

7. I'm not surprised by this- I went to college in Alabama

In the late 1980s (!), college women were there merely for their MRS degree. Brainwashed "Christian" idiots.

[workinclasszero]

23. Damn...let that sink in huh?

57% of white college educated women voted for Moore.

How the hell can this happen?

We see all the stories about uneducated coal miners and blue collar Trump voters all the time.

Where are the shameful stories of college educated women backing pigs like Pedo Moore and the pussy grabber in charge?

I just......wow!

I sense a bias from the news media.

[deurbano]

27. College educated (including law degree) women like my sister who even attended the pussy

grabber's inauguration. Pitiful. Shameful. Then she complained on FB about the "fake news" regarding the comparatively small crowd size. And she is the type to share on FB a photo of Taylor Swift with a MAGA hat since (despite the college degrees) she lacks the critical thinking skills (or enough basic common sense) to realize the repulsive hat was photoshopped.

[workinclasszero]

31. Its nuts

I have a sibling the same way with a high school education.

[bigbrother05]

32. As bad as that is, it was much worse in 2016

At least some of them went for Jones or stayed home.

Don't let the white men off, they voted against their own families (wives, mothers, sisters, daughters) and (professed) Christian values..

[yallerdawg]

2. Actually...

counting ALL voters (60% stayed home), about 80% rejected supporting Roy Moore.

I find that reassuring.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. 60% chose to do nothing. I consider that f***ed up. nt

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

[yallerdawg]

18. After last November 2016...

I don't want to find out anymore who they think are "good politicians."

Let's let "good people" who vote make that choice - like last night.

[diva77]

48. must account for the ugly fact that Alabama has voter id laws, plus there could have been

voter caging, etc. -- so it's very likely a much higher % tried to vote but were unable to...

http://sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes/voter/voter-id

--------------
Reports of Voter Suppression Tactics Pour In From Alabama Election
Voters in the contest between Roy Moore and Doug Jones complain of being put on inactive status and prevented from voting.

Pema LevyDec. 12, 2017 5:12 PM

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/12/reports-of-voter-suppression-tactics-pour-in-from-alabama-election/#

SNIP
Almost as soon as voting was underway on Tuesday, civil rights groups began receiving hundreds of complaints of voter suppression, and residents and reporters took to social media to report tactics used to intimidate minority voters or force them to cast provisional ballots.

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law had received 235 calls to its voter hotline as of 3:24 p.m. The group aims to provide live assistance to voters, and it’s unclear how many of the calls were to report voting irregularities rather than simply asking for assistance. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund has been collecting reports of voting problems in Alabama, some of them secondhand, including multiple reports of people being put on inactive status and erroneously prevented from voting.

“Some of these voters are told that they cannot vote,” Coty Montag, the director of litigation at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, wrote in a roundup on Tuesday afternoon. “Others are being given provisional ballots. The correct [procedure] is that voters who appear on the inactive list must be allowed an opportunity to re-identify and vote a regular ballot.”

The group also collected reports of very long lines at precincts where poll workers say they were unprepared for high turnout. Alabama’s secretary of state, Republican John Merrill, has repeatedly predicted low turnout in the special election. Election expert Michael McDonald of the University of Florida tweeted that it was “bordering on malpractice to give this guidance to local election officials who should prepare for higher turnout.” The group has also collected reports of people being prevented from voting by the state’s photo ID law because their IDs have expired.
SNIP

[eppur_se_muova]

55. That definitely falls in the category of f***ed up -- and I hope it is followed up.

Looks like NAACP is going to be the lead on this, but I sure hope AL Dems get involved. The party is in pretty bad shape in this state, though. Will probably require lots of outside watchdogs -- and we've all seen how the Alabama politicians react to outsiders.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Thanks to these people...

Rupert Murdoch (Faux News)

Sinclair Broadcasting (talk radio)

Hundreds of charlatan preachers.

Dozens of lying Repug politicians.

Lots of RW folks are crying in their warm beer this morning w/cold pizza for breakfast. Pity only goes out to Roy's horse.

[leftieNanner]

25. Roy does not know how to ride a horse!

It's a wonder he doesn't get bucked off every time. Read the body language of the animal - and even if you aren't a rider, you can see that Roy has no idea what he is doing. I feel so sorry for the horse!

[northoftheborder]

54. The way he sits on the horse betrays his utter ignorance of how to ride.

[scarytomcat]

56. why is he riding a pony?

He is way to big for that poor horse.
He is jerking the poor animals head, that is no way the handle the reins.
Better for all concerned if Moore just walks away.

[RestoreAmerica2020]

26. Yes, pity only goes out to caballo that carried his sorry racist perverted arse!

..pobercito caballo, poor horse.

[alarimer]

5. How do you get people to stop voting against their own interests?

I'm not sure there is an answer.

We have to find a way to get rid of Fox News. How, legally, can this be accomplished? And right-wing radio. It poisons the minds of people who should know better.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Their "interests"

are not what we would consider tangible "interests" - like clean air & water, good jobs and whatnot.

THEIR interest comes from the deeper recesses of their being and is primordial - fear of genetic annihilation... and that colors everything they think about and do.

[alarimer]

14. I suspect this is true.

I've read a bit about this. The difference between being open to new things (liberals) and being afraid of change. It may even be neurological in nature. They may literally be made that way. I don't know how true that is, but it would be difficult to overcome if it is.

So the answer probably lies less in changing minds and more in getting more people to vote. That 60% of people who didn't vote in Alabama and the 40% or so who don't vote in presidential elections is key.

[BamaRefugee]

22. Conservatives will NEVER admit to this...

...because, OMG, maybe GAY folks are "made that way" too!

[bigbrother05]

34. Made only in the sense that how one is raised can make them that way

[gratuitous]

9. One way is to tell them a different story

Doug Jones might consider a little victory tour (don't call it that) and go to the most Republican environs of Alabama. Tell the voters there that as the junior Senator from Alabama, he considers it his duty to work on behalf of all Alabamans, not just the wealthy. Yeah, he's a Democrat, but Democrats have a record of using government to help people: Social Security, Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, raising the minimum wage, building good schools, helping people go to college without incurring crushing, unforgivable debt.

Republican office-holders work on behalf of their wealthy bankrollers.

[marylandblue]

17. People don't vote their interests

They vote their values. Unfortunately, for too many in Alabama, their values are informed by 400 years of racist policies aimed at dividing white from black. You win by showing them new values, ones where they can join together with others of different races. To get them to see black people as neighbors not enemies. Won't convince all of them, but it might convince enough to swing an election.

[Martin Eden]

20. Good Point

They don't necessarily have to be shown "new values" so much as being convinced that "Christian values" are not served by Republican policies that comfort the rich, afflict the poor, and damage God's creation of the earth which sustains life itself.

[JimBeard]

41. You have to find out what it is in their gut that overpowers everything else to

make one vote against their self interest.

In Alabama it was abortion for some and that emotion is so intense it over powers economic interest.

Look around, there are other issues that trump (as in cards) economic issues.

For me it will be the extreme Feminism of the Democratic Party. (Often called the Woman's Party)

[oberliner]

6. 72 percent of white men voted for him

As did 63 percent of white women.

[Blue_true]

12. I choose to look at positives.

28% of white men and 37% of white women in Alabama voted for Jones. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, African American and other minority group voters saved America's cookies again, like they did big in 2008 when the world teetered on disaster and 2012 to keep progress moving forward.

[oberliner]

13. Fair enough

This is definitely a great victory in Alabama, that's for sure.

[Blue_true]

19. We can get the White number voting for Democrats up.

Last edited Wed Dec 13, 2017, 04:12 PM - Edit history (1)

But the fact is, when the coalition that we have show up and vote wisely, we win.

[louis c]

40. I think you mean "show up". Drop the not.

[Blue_true]

42. Did. Thanks.

[avebury]

35. As the rethugs continue to get humilated at the voting booth I

fear that they will ramp up their war on minority voters because (between Virginia and Alabama) there is no doubt that their votes do count and can become motivated to get out and vote the Rethugs out of office. The Rethugs will be looking for every to stop this trend.

[Blue_true]

43. Then we need to fight in court and educate people on how to protect their voting rights.

Everyone should check their voting status before registration for upcoming elections ends. Hell, I think people should check every 6 months in red states.

Look, in order to stop minorities from making a difference, republicans will have to grossly violate laws as well as the Constitution. And if they try that, we take them to Court as well as run public awareness campaigns to let the public know what republicans are trying.

I think that one of the most effective measures that can be used with White voters is to point out that within 30 years, Whites will be an electoral minority, even if Whites vote 100% for a candidate. Ask the question of whether they want to teach minority leaders of the future how to take away the voting right of now White children. Behavior is learned and revenge is the consequence of present abuses of power.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

10. Republicans are becoming so tribal

that they would likely vote Republican if Satan himself were running. I know that we can all be tribal sometimes but I'd like to think that we would never accept somebody like Moore or Trump as Democratic nominees for any office.

[caballojm]

24. It seems they would do just that.

[link:https://tinyurl.com/yck8m4hk|

[LiberalLovinLug]

44. It is a little like Lord of the Flies

[Proud Liberal Dem]

46. The group of homicidal kids, right?

[LiberalLovinLug]

47. Yup.

And Trumpsters are a lot like juvenile boys, with the same stunted immature outlook, that are swept up in this cult of a boys gang (and some girls) that sees 'the other' as the enemy. Get themselves riled up at campfires (or rallies) and will believe anything that Jack (Trump) tells them.

[jalan48]

11. I live in the West and find it hard to understand the thinking of Alabamans.

It's like I'm in a different country. Maybe the US is so different on a regional basis that trying to call it one nation has become impossible. How can we move ahead when we have a solid block of the country pulling us backwards?

[Jspur]

33. I'm not shocked by these results since I live in a southern state.

I'm 34 years old and moved from Boston to NC when I was 11. So I have lived in NC for 23 years. My state is probably the least extreme southern state since it's now a purple state but I have encountered a lot of stupid people in my time of living here. Unless you live in the south you don't know how bad and backwards the people are down here. I have cousins who live in southern California and I remember several years ago them telling me that racism doesn't exist anymore in the US. I looked at them and laughed really hard at their naivete and lack of awareness. I could see why they believed that since they lived in a liberal utopia in CA so they have never had to encounter religious nutcases, rednecks, etc. My point is that most of the people in DU who are shocked that Trump and Moore can win these white voters over are probably privileged in the sense that they have never had to live in a red state.

[lame54]

15. Youve heard of Alabama, right?

[Danascot]

16. From what I've read

another big issue for many was abortion. There are lots of single issue voters against it to the exclusion of everything else.

[zipplewrath]

45. Not really the issue

I've noticed in alot of these people, when pushed, they don't really know all that much about their candidates. They'll pull out one issue and claim it is their reason, but I suspect they know little about the issue, or the candidates stand on it, much less actually have a robust position on the issue themselves. My personal observation is that these people divide the world into two groups, "people like me" and "others". Unfortunately, "others" are people who often are more knowledgeable about almost anything. So they develop an attitude that there is something wrong with the "others" and they'll only vote for people "like themselves". Which of course means that it will be people with the same limited understanding they have, or at least who won't challenge that limited understanding.

[wolfie001]

21. Racist white folk

These are the same pigs and piglets that say Obama was born in Kenya. Nasty m*f*ers.

[pandr32]

28. Rootin Tootin Cowboy Americana schtick

Along with those faux Christian values seems to work with too many people. That's f_cked up!

[DonaldsRump]

29. Single issue voters

IMHO, a lot of these folks are single issue voters, obsessed with an issue like abortion or guns to the absolute exclusion of all else.

I read that someone said if the Democrats had a "pro life" candidate as good as Doug Jones, they would have walked away with this election in double digits.

Having known some of these single issue voters, I am shocked at what they are willing to overlook so long as their single issue is handled to their satisfaction. It is really quite incredible.

Anyway, who gives a sh@t, at least until 2018. Let's party and celebrate, but keep our eye on the ball!

Way to go, Doug Jones!!!!!

[hurple]

30. Yes

This seems to be lost in the giddy over-excitement today.

The fact that it was s struggle to defeat moore, even with all that baggage should actually frighten D's... IMO

[Cary]

36. Never trust any "conservative" ever again

It's sad that it has come to that point, but here we are.

[Bradical79]

37. It's a serious problem, but the youth vote is encouraging

It opens the door for a strong Democratic effort there, to try and influence the populous.

[njhoneybadger]

38. Some deplorables vote for social issues others economic issues

What they have in common is a fear of change.

[louis c]

39. A Civil Rights Government Prosecutor Who Put KKK Guys in Jail Beat An Avowed Bigot in Alabama

I'd say that's progress.

[NewJeffCT]

50. A little over one year ago

Donald Trump won the state by 28 points. Last night, More won by 1.5%. A swing of nearly 30% in 13 months.

Imagine several dozen House races doing the same? How about Ted Cruz in Texas? He won by 15% in 2012. I would be sweating right now if I saw that big of a swing in even redder than Texasa Alabama.

[NewJeffCT]

49. In 2014, Democrats let Jeff Sessions run unopposed for this same seat

Why don't we talk about how Democrats went from 0% in 2014 to 50% in only 3 years?

[Egnever]

51. Agreed he took some counties by over 65%

That is just shocking. I can't even begin to imagine what it is like living in those places.

[NCTraveler]

52. 650,000 Republicans stayed home.

That is fifty percent of the guaranteed base who show up for them in statewide elections. Democrats didn’t show up in greater numbers that their historical trend.

650,000 base Republican voters not showing up is huge. That said, every one of them will show up in ‘20 when Sessions takes his seat back. Sessions will get his 1.2 to 1.4 million votes.

[drray23]

53. I think it started in the 90's.

Post Reagan years and with the emergence of the rw media such as Fox news and a plethora of radio shows.
We democrats did not respond in kind and over the last 25 years, people were gradually brainwashed and got more and more radical.

Gerrimandering is what we usually point out at when describing the challenges we have to retake house seats, I think the more important factor which lead to everything else is the control of the message. Republicans have horrendous agendas, yet they get elected because they are master at messaging and they have an army of propagandist radio hosts and tv networks to reinforce it.

The only way this country will get back at having sane pollitical conversations is if this issue is addressed.

[Joe941]

57. When will this seat be up for vote again?

Special election votes are rarely up for the standard 6 years.