Ok….hear me out!!!!
The NRA (which really is the Gun and Ammunition Manufacturers and Retailers Association AKA ‘GAMRA’) wants armed security guards at every school in America, at a potential cost of billions to our hard pressed local governments and school boards.
My Opinion: By all means MOVE AHEAD to place public safety officers at all schools: elementary, middle, and high schools, colleges and universities, even pre-schools.
Make sure that these are all fully and expertly trained public peace officers with special training in conflict resolution and emergency reaction to armed assailants.
Prioritize retired military veterans and furloughed police officers for these positions, after they have undergone rigorous background checks.
In addition: Offer GAMRA an instant computerized background checks for all gun sales, including gun show gun sales, by creating a National Registry of convicted felons, and those individuals deemed by a mental health professional as unfit to possess any form of firearm.
BUT HOW WOULD WE PAY FOR THIS PROGRAM YOU MAY ASK, in the era (or error) of Grover Norquist??? After all, everything must be revenue neutral!!!!
Simple solution: Enact a FEDERAL TAX on every firearm sale and round of ammunition. And make it high enough to pay for ALL of these officers, plus the national computerized registry, and even suicide prevention and anything else you can think up. In addition, every gun owner would have to pay a national gun stamp tax for possession of pre-existing firearms in order to finance these VERY expensive programs.
Let’s hoist the NRA on their own petard.