(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Florida Republicans loosen gun laws and spend $61.6 million on bulletproof glass for Capitol [1] ['Daily Kos Staff'] Date: 2023-09-04 On July 1, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ gun bill allowing people to carry concealed weapons without a permit went into effect. The Republican-controlled Florida state government called it a victory for Second Amendment lovers everywhere. At the same time, windows on the state Capitol grounds were being upgraded to the tune of $61.6 million. It turns out the reason the windows are so expensive is that they are not simply more energy efficient—they’re bulletproof. On Monday, the Orlando Sentinel reported that many of the same Republicans who cheered the new permitless carry law put together a spending package in 2019 for the window upgrade. According to the Sentinel, the budget language only referred to the windows as “security improvements.” “The windows are old and not ballistics rated or bulletproof,” said Laurel Wilson, marketing director for the Childers Construction Co., construction manager for the overall project. “The way things are going in the world, we saw an opportunity to harden the Capitol.” Democratic lawmakers were surprised to learn the windows were being upgraded to a higher ballistics rating. Orlando Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani told the Sentinel, “That’s kind of intense. I just assumed it was a general renovation.” She added it felt like “real cognitive dissonance” for conservatives to continue to promote and pass laws that “don’t make us more safe” while putting bulletproof glass in the windows of their workplace. Both the Florida Department of Management Services and DeSantis’ office wouldn’t comment on the security measures. RELATED STORY: New study links concealed carry firearms and rising gun homicide rates It isn’t surprising that the same people who have allowed more guns into the state are also aware of how much less safe they are because of them. There’s enough data showing more guns means more gun violence. Whether it’s Florida or Anywhere Else, U.S.A., people who have gun permits with very little (or no) regulation of how and where they carry them have a tendency to be untrustworthy with those weapons. What is still up for debate is whether it will remain legal for citizens with concealed carry permits to bring firearms into the Capitol building in Tallahassee. When DeSantis signed the permitless carry law, a provision in it prohibited Floridians from bringing guns into the Senate chamber—where a Republican majority passed the legislation. You’re also not allowed to bring guns into committee hearings, so there’s that! To review: The political party that argues we all need guns for personal safety and in order to organize against a potential tyrannical government is also the political party clawing back civil rights while turning government buildings into fortresses. Sign the petition: Oppose permitless carrying of weapons. Everyone always talks about redistricting, but what is it like to actually do it? Oregon political consultant Kari Chisholm joins us on this week’s episode of “The Downballot” to discuss his experience as a member of Portland’s new Independent District Commission, a panel of citizens tasked with creating the city’s first-ever map for its city council. Kari explains why Portland wanted to switch from at-large elections to a district-based system, how new multimember districts could boost diversity on the council, and the commission’s surprisingly effective efforts to divide the city into four equal districts while heeding community input. x Embedded Content RELATED STORIES: Guy yelling N-word brandishes gun at kids on bikes during 'wheels up guns down' event Crazy Florida sheriff who wants everyone to have guns wants you to now fight domestic terrorism [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/4/2190194/-Florida-Republicans-loosen-gun-laws-and-spend-61-6-million-on-bulletproof-glass-for-Capitol Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/