9/2 News: Jennifer Carroll

Florida State Rep. Jennifer Carroll is making the news today, as the conservative Republican was selected as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor (watch the announcement here):

Ms. Carroll, with Mr. Scott

Rick Scott Names Jennifer Carroll As Running Mate In Florida's Gubernatorial Election

Republican nominee for governor Rick Scott has chosen a running mate. State Rep. Jennifer Carroll, the first black, female Republican elected to the Florida Legislature, said she will join Mr. Scott on the ticket as his choice for lieutenant governor. Analysts said the northern Florida legislator would help geographically balance out the ticket with Mr. Scott, who resides in southern Florida.

State Rep. Carroll states on her Facebook page: "I want to thank Rick Scott for the opportunity to join him in this race as his pick for Lt. Governor. Rick and I share core conservative principles like lower taxes, less regulation, and smaller government, and I believe Floridians are ready to elect a conservative outsider with private sector experience and a plan to create 700,000 jobs."

Why Did Rick Scott Pick Jennifer Carroll As His Running Mate?

Michael C. Bender of the Palm Beach Post writes: "After winning the Republican nomination for governor, Rick Scott told confidantes that he wanted a female running mate with a strong law enforcement-type background. He found her in state Rep. Jennifer Carroll, a Jacksonville-area Republican who is the former secretary of the Florida Veteran Affairs Department. According to her Florida House bio, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1979 and served for 20 years. (Scott is also a Navy veteran — he served on active duty aboard the USS Glover as a radar man.) Carroll worked as a jet mechanic and retired as a Lieutenant Commander Aviation Maintenance Officer with the Meritorious Service Medal; two Navy Commendation Medals; two Navy Achievement Medals; National Defense Service Medal; Overseas Ribbon; two Coast Guard Special Operation Ribbons; and the Expert Pistol Medal."

More: "Carroll, the second African-American woman picked as a Republican lieutenant governor nominee, helps balance the ticket for Scott. Scott is running against Democrat Alex Sink, who is trying to be the state’s first female governor."

Steve Bousquet of the Miami Herald writes: "In choosing Carroll, Scott, himself a Navy veteran, would get a woman with a distinctive personal story who could neutralize the gender appeal of his Democratic opponent, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink:
Conservatives Give Thumbs Up To Jennifer Carroll's Selection

Marco Rubio's statement: "Former House Speaker Marco Rubio, the Republican candidate in the U.S. Senate election, offered high praise to GOP gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott for picking Rep. Jennifer Carroll, R-Jacksonville, as his running mate on Thursday. 'I congratulate Rick Scott on selecting my good friend Jennifer Carroll as his running mate,' said Rubio. 'As a Navy veteran, business owner, elected official and mother, Jennifer has always answered the call to serve our nation and state. Jennifer has been a trusted friend and colleague who represents everything that public servants should be, and I know she will be an asset to our next governor, Rick Scott."

From Sunshine State News: "'I could not be more pleased at the selection of Jennifer Carroll for lieutenant governor as she is a true friend of the family,' said John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council, minutes after Carroll was announced as the running mate on Thursday. 'In both word and deed, she understands how important marriage and family structures are to the continuation of social order in our society. I applaud Rick Scott for his principled decision-making in selecting such a reliable social conservative as Jennifer Caroll as his running mate.' Stemberger applauded Carroll’s strong record in defense of life and her support of the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment back in 2008."

From Sunshine State News: "Incoming Speaker Dean Cannon, R-Winter Park, praised Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott for selecting a member of his caucus, Rep. Jennifer Carroll of Jacksonville, as his running mate for lieutenant governor. 'Having served with Jennifer Carroll in the Florida House for the last six years, I know her to be a committed conservative who, like Rick Scott will stand by the values of lower taxes, limited government and personal responsibility,' said Cannon. 'Jennifer is a lifelong public servant whose record of military and legislative service, combined with her experience building and operating a small business, makes her an ideal choice for this important post during this historical time in our state."

Wasn't Jennifer Carroll Dissing Rick Scott's Candidacy Just Last Month, Saying He Was A Visionless Neophyte Seeking Personal Gain?

From Crowley Political Report: "Carroll supported Attorney General Bill McCollum in the race to win the GOP nomination for Florida governor. During a meeting of Clay County Republicans last month, Carroll told the crowd that she supported McCollum over Scott for governor because: 'We do not need that seat to be a seat where you're learning, to be a seat where it's for personal gain, to be a seat where the residents and the citizens of the state of Florida will be negatively impacted because of a lack of vision.' Apparently she has changed her mind. .See a video of Carroll's [Clayton County] speech here."

During today's press conference in Jacksonville to announce her selection as Rick Scott’s running mate, a reporter asked why Ms. Carroll jumped ship after initially supporting Bill McCollum for governor. “After the primary election, I saw Rick Scott through his primary campaign, and his message resonated with me,” Ms. Carroll answered. “But that doesn’t mean you jump ship. Your word has to be your bond, and at the end of the day, the bottom line: Rick and I have similar visions for Florida. It’s about jobs, jobs, jobs.”

Mr. Meek (pictured left) and Mr. Crist

Kendrick Meek's Team Hammers Charlie Crist For Supporting His Pal Jennifer Carroll's Selection

Regular readers of Booker Rising may recall that Gov. Charlie Crist last year considered Florida State Rep. Jennifer Carroll as a possible replacement for resigning U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.). So obviously Gov. Crist liked today's announcement. Well, check out this Sunshine State News article: "Meek’s campaign is trying to round up Democratic voters who may be tempted to vote for Crist as the best option to keep Republican candidate Marco Rubio from winning and have been hammering away at the governor, arguing that he is still a conservative at heart despite leaving the GOP."

More: "'Add Rick Scott's selection of Republican Jennifer Carroll to the long list where Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist agree,' said Dave Hoffman, a spokesman for Meek. 'From extending the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to putting the interests of big developers before the needs of the middle class, to Rick Scott's running mate, Marco Rubio and Charlie Crist are one of the same. Middle-class Floridian families need a real Democrat who will fight for them -- not politicians that are more interested in advancing their careers.'"

William Terence: "Moderates And Minorites Are Being Overlooked By Conservatives"

Asserts the moderate Democratic blogger in Georgia: "I must hand it to the GOP; they are serious about purifying their ranks. I wish we would do a little housekeeping on the Blue Team ourselves because anyone can put on a 'D' jersey then slam President Obama all day long. With friends like you, we don’t need the other political side. On the national level and in Georgia, GOP moderates were forced to shape up or ship out.  Quick: name a Georgia GOP moderate leader?"

More: "That situation is a shame because national parties should have a range of thoughts at the discussion table. If they keep that hardcore mentality, their suitability to lead a diverse superpower will be jeopardized. In other words, that angry cowboy mentality is not healthy. Moderates and minorities are being pushed out as the Far Right elbows their way to the front. Will they hold their position inside the GOP, [become] departed to become Blue Dogs or chill as Independents in the center? I am not saying you got to go home but...."

Discuss "Moderates And Minorites Are Being Overlooked By Conservatives" post here.

Is Ghana Headed Down The Road To Political Violence? Bookerista Perspectives

Dan Botwe: "Ghana Is Sitting On A Partisan Time-Bomb"

The member of the Ghanaian Parliament and former head of the center-right New Patriotic Party, warns that a political time-bomb will detonate if Ghana doesn't seriously address growing electoral violence. He states that recent events in Atiwa as well as two other two constituencies where by-elections are a preview of what's to come in the 2012 presidential election.

“I don’t care whether there are Bamba Boys [center-right youth group] or Azorka boys [center-left youth group], I don’t care who they are....The police should have arrested them...And wherever they came from, whether they are NPP thugs or [center-left] NDC thugs; why weren’t they arrested?...and they could openly do this?…how could this happen in a developed country and supposed to be a civilized one as well?” he asked.

Ghana's Center-Right Responds To Dan Botwe: "You Have A Point, But We Ain't No Punks. We'll Arm Ourselves Against Left-Wing Intimidation" 

Many NPP members apparently believe that their members have to prepare themselves against center-left violence. "Kin", one reader, responds to Mr. Botwe's interview: "Sure, Dan, you are right. If nothing is done to this kind of behavior then we are really sitting on a time bomb. My advice is, if you are an NPP supporter and you wish to survive in 2012, please get yourself guns. Those who have the means to buy more should make them available to the have-nots NPP members. I hope to provide at least 20 guns for my villagers. Let’s start the mobilization now!"

"Jimi Jimi Rawlings" writes: "Ii [sic] nice that NPP is now showing that they are tough, not cowards. Thanks to REAL men like Sir John and others. NDC thugs must always be met boot-for-boot; if not, NPP will never come to power again."

"K Rocky" writes: "FROM WHAT IS BEING REPORTED, DAN IS SO RIGHT - WE ARE SITTING ON A TIME BOMB! AT THIS STAGE, WE WILL BE DECEIVING OURSELVES TO THINK THAT ALL IS WELL. PEOPLE BRANDISHING WEAPONS AND MACHETES IN BROAD DAYLIGHT? DO WE HAVE POLICE IN GHANA? WHAT ABOUT THE BNI, SOLDIERS, ETC? THE IGP SHOULD BE PREPARING TO RESIGN. BECAUSE HIS INSTITUTION HAS RENEGED ON ITS CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED DUTIES TO THE NATION. IF THEY CAN NOT MAINTAIN PEACE AND ORDER IN ONE CONSTITUENCY, WHAT WILL THEY DO, WHEN THEY [sic] WHOLE NATION COMES TO VOTE IN 2012. AS FOR THE NDC, THEY WILL EMPLOY UNASSUMABLE THREATS AND INTIMIDATION TO TWIST THE ELECTIONS. IF PEOPLE (ORDINARY CITIZENS AS OCCURED [sic] IN ATIWA) DECIDE TO DEFEND THEIR THEMSELVES AND THEIR TERITORIES [sic], THE END RESULT WILL BE MAYHEM, UNCONTROLED [sic] VIOLENCE - LOST OF LIVES. PLEASE PROF MILLS, MAKE SURE GHANA REMAINS AS PEACEFULL AND RESPECTED AS U CAME TO MEET IT."

Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko: "Danger Signals For The 2012 Presidential Election" 

Asserts the  libertarian-conservative head of the Danquah Institute (Ghana)."The Atiwa parliamentary election revealed nothing new. That alleged [center-left] NDC tactic was first rehearsed, under the able triumvirate command of Ofosu Ampofo, Baba Jamal and Aseidu Nketia at Akwatia in 2009. Like Atiwa last Tuesday, it had no hope of bringing electoral victory but as a rehearsal for 2012 it was an excellent exercise. It succeeded in making the point – that, intimidation pays. First, the milieu of intimidation, harassment and vote-buying allegations managed to do two main things: it frightened some NPP voters away from the polling station, leading to a low voter turnout. Also, it increased, albeit marginally, NDC votes in the two places."

More: "What is even more dangerous is how the NPP intends to respond to this electoral hooliganism. There is certainly no way that the NPP, which controls about half of the country, can be expected to just lie down and take this kind of electoral thuggery. Should we, especially civil society, sit down, arms folded, and allow the doctrine of bumper-to-bumper strategem to define the electoral make-up of 2012? It may be lost on the majority of Ghanaians but we are gradually procuring the ingredients for an electoral gourmet of violence in 2012; it could be served hot and plenty, consuming our democracy and all its promises."

Discuss "Is Ghana Headed Down The Road To Political Violence?" post here.

Environmentalist Takes Hostages At Discovery Channel's Headquarters: Bookerista Perspectives

Everyone has probably heard about yesterday's standoff in Maryland, where James Lee took three people hostage at the Discovery Channel's headquarters. A SWAT team officer eventually killed the agitated gunman who had explosives strapped to himself, ending the four-hour standoff.

In previous court appearances and on his website, Lee demanded an end to Discovery Communications LLC's shows such as TLC's "Kate Plus 8" and "19 Kids and Counting." The homeless man said the network should air "programs encouraging human sterilization and infertility." His manifesto: "Humans are the most destructive, filthy, pollutive creatures around and are wrecking what's left of the planet with their false morals and breeding cultures." Lee, 43, also objected to Discovery's environmental programming. He wrote in 2008 that a show he called "Planet Green" was "about more PRODUCTS to make MONEY, not actual solutions." Of course, bookeristas weigh in on the liberal nutcase:

James Lee

Michael Bowen: "James Lee: Dead"

The moderate-conservative Republican blogger in California, on the gunman: "There was a radical misanthropic Malthusian loose yesterday. He was well on his way to becoming a suicide bomber, but thought his radicalism was more acceptable than that of your ordinary Jihadi. So he made a point to put together his final screed, and decided to hang around long enough for a twitter storm. Why the focus on changing media rather than government?"

Sandra Rose: "Obama Would Love The Discovery Channel Gunman"

The conservative blogger in Georgia argues that James Lee's views on the environment and population growth were no different than what's being promoted by the Obama administration: "The armed man, identified as James Jay Lee, reportedly has live explosives strapped to his body. Lee is no stranger to the Discovery Channel; he was arrested in 2008 for loitering and throwing money outside the building. According to Lee’s manifesto, published by TMZ.com, he is an anti-population zealot who advocates birth control and other anti-population methods. As I pointed out in this post, ObamaCare contains a dirty little secret that could lead to population control of the black community. You might also recall that Obaam’s [sic] 'science czar,' John Holdren, wrote a book, Ecoscience, that advocates population control and forced abortions. Many critics say ObamaCare is a disguised form of population control."

Discuss "Environmentalist Takes Hostages At Discovery Channel Building" post here. 

Cash for Clunkers Drives Up Used Car Prices

Kenneth Durden, a libertarian-conservative blogger, opines: "The federal government's silly Cash for Clunkers program is being blamed for a 10% increase in the cost of used cars. This news comes at a time that GM sales are down 26%. The only thing the CARS program did was change the purchase time for people who were already in the market for a car, giving them $4,500 in taxpayer cash. Meanwhile the people who couldn't afford a new car are seeing the cost of used cars go up. Thanks Democrats! CHANGE!!! That's all you'll have left."

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