Rick Scott admits on Fox that Trump's plan won't keep kids safe

Trump and the Republicans are determined to do the bare minimum in response to the Parkland, Florida mass shooting. Now they’re admitting it won’t make our kids safe in schools.

Trump’s incoherent plan to solve gun violence focuses mostly on paying “a little bonus” to up to 40% of our teachers to carry firearms in schools, and to begin incarcerating the mentally ill. Governor Rick Scott (R-FL) has proposed raising the age limit for all gun purchases to 21, increasing school security, banning bump stocks, and expanding laws that target mentally ill people.

But on “Fox News Sunday” this week, host Chris Wallace asked Scott if his and Trump’s plans would make students safe, and Scott had to admit they would not.

Scott told Wallace that he disagrees with Trump on arming teachers, but also that he opposes any restrictions on firearms, such as an assault weapons ban.

“Governor, if the Florida legislature passes your entire package, if Congress passes everything that president Trump is talking about, what can you say to the young people, the students, who are watching you right now, will they be safe?” Wallace asked.

“I’m going to do everything that I can,” Scott said. “Remember, I’m a father, a grandfather and the first things I said when this happened, I called each of my daughters and I said ‘Unfortunately, in your lifetime, you are going to have to teach our children how to deal with an active shooter.'”

“That’s unfortunate we are going to have to do that,” he continued. “We are going to do everything we can, but each one of us is going to have to be prepared.”

Neither Trump’s nor Scott’s proposals address the proliferation of firearms, the deadliness of the guns that leave law enforcement outgunned in these situations, or even the background check loopholes that give would-be murderers and terrorists the opportunity to skirt even the minimal laws we have in effect.

For once, a Republican is at least being honest, even if accidentally so. The measures being proposed by Trump and the Republicans won’t keep kids safe, and the NRA that owns these politicians will fight even against these half-measures. But the Parkland kids won’t stand for this, and neither should we.