Please tell me why an authoritarian highly ambitious arrogant Christian nationalist racist bigot who has already threatened BLM protestors and has been documented as abusing helpless prisoners want with his own military force with the power to arrest people? Considering the hate that the Governor and his supporters have for the LGBTQ+ will they use this new military police force against that community? What about drag queens? Hugs
Florida Politics reports:
The Florida State Guard’s (FSG) budget will grow to 10 times its current level, nearly quadruple in personnel, and become a permanent part of state government under legislation Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed.
The measure (HB 1285), promulgated by Republican Rep. Mike Giallombardo, creates a Division of the State Guard within the Department of Military Affairs as a separate budget entity headed by a Governor-appointed director, who will be confirmed by the Senate.
ACLU Florida said this expansion moves Florida closer to a police state. The new law expands the scope of its mission from being ready for activation in emergencies to also “protect and defend the people of Florida from threats to public safety.” Its members also have arresting powers.
More from the ACLU of Florida:
The sweeping nature of this bill is astounding: it would divert nearly $100 million in taxpayer funding to build, arm, clothe, equip, and train a volunteer armed guard of 1,500 people to assume the duties of the National Guard.
These volunteers would have access to weapons, ammunition, planes, helicopters, boats, and surveillance technology, and would, unique among states with a State Guard, create a special unit within the State Guard with authority to make arrests.
What makes this even more troubling is that the newly-envisioned State Guard will only be accountable to the Governor and can be activated not just in a state of emergency, but any time the Governor deems necessary to broadly protect ‘from threats to public safety.’
This broad language fails to provide guardrails to ensure this special unit could not be deployed to crack down on activities that this Legislature is in the process of criminalizing.
Under the bill, the Governor will appoint the director of the state guard who serves at the pleasure of the Governor – meaning there will be no checks and balances on when and how this force is used.
Additionally, the Governor can order his State Guard to take action in other states. This is a terrifying bill that puts Floridians’ privacy, security, and safety in grave danger.
Via press release from DeSantis:
“Florida is the most military and veteran friendly state in the nation and through this legislation, we are further supporting our military, veterans and their families with the resources they need while they are serving and after they have fulfilled their duty,” said Governor Ron DeSantis.
HB 1285 establishes the Florida State Guard as a permanent component in Florida’s state militia and creates the Division of the State Guard within the Department of Military Affairs. The Florida State Guard has been appropriated $108 million in the General Appropriations Act.
“Additionally, the Governor can order his State Guard to take action in other states.”
without the other states’ request or permission?
Sounds like a civil war declaration
Would this be to assist in flying immigrants in Texas to Northern states? They have a budget and can do anything the governor wants!
DuhFuhrer’s Gestapo
Just to be clear: There’s nothing that can be done at a federal level to stop this madman? Nothing in the Constitution that can be used against him?
I’ll repeat my mantra: GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT!
A dictatorship needs it’s own special military police to enforce the new rules and protect the Dictator.
After Hitler came to power, the Brown Shirts got government support, uniforms, equipment, etc.
Just saying.
The Brownshirts: The Role of the Sturmabteilung (SA) in Nazi Germany
A lot of echoes of the past shown in this piece.
Now DeSatanis has his own Gestapo to enforce his evil Orbanite agenda.
Fascist wants his own army
And of course, the people who scream about the horrors of Fidel Castro as why they won’t vote Democrat say nothing about this.
Fuck them.
Not really. Cubans loved fascist dictator Batista; they only hated Castro because he confiscated their property and money, not because he was also an evil fascist dictator. They love fascism and want it in the US.
Scottie's Playtime 
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