With all the misinformation we've heard since the school shooting in Florida, it's important to take a deep breath and be clear about the situation.

First, it was not the NRA's fault. Second, banning the sale of semi-automatic rifles does nothing to decrease the number of guns already in America, and our porous border allows guns in illegally. Third, we could increase the age to purchase a weapon, but would it make a difference? Fourth, the failures in Parkland, Florida lie at the feet of the schools and government (FBI/Sheriffs) - they just didn't do their job.

The failure to expel the perpetrator, for extensive past wrongdoing, or failure to put him in the juvenile justice system, was a big problem. However, the school district dumped its zero tolerance policy years ago and doesn't file any misdemeanor cases on students!

The school had no real security system in place and the police officers onsite failed to engage the shooter for at least 4 minutes. Also, the school is a gun-free zone, making it open season for crazies.

TCR has found an idea worthy of serious consideration, it is called the South Dakota School Sentinel Program and it works as follows:

"The South Dakota School Sentinel Program allows a school to create, establish, and supervise the arming of school employees, hired security personnel, or volunteers in such a manner as the board believes will be most likely to secure or enhance the deterrence of physical threat and defense of the school, its students, its staff and members of the public on the school premises against violent attack."

"Before any school board may implement the Program, or make any material changes in the Program's personnel or protocol, the school board must obtain the approval of the law enforcement official who has jurisdiction over the school premises.

"A person who acts as a school sentinel must first successfully complete a 70 hour school sentinel training course as defined by the Law Enforcement Officers Standards Commission. The Program provides liability immunity for certain persons and entities."

Sounds like a good program to protect our students, which is exactly what our goal should be.

2/26/18 Rasmussen daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows 49% approval for President Trump. Note at the same time in his first term, Obama was at 44%. Blue wave coming? Not so fast.

As of 2/25/18, Democrats have voted or requested ballot by mail totaling 55,112 and for the GOP the total is 52,893. Keep in mind that in 2010 and 2014, we out-voted them by a considerable margin.

This is yet another example of the failures of embattled GOP Chair, Paul Simpson, who despite his dismal record in 2016 and 2017 continues to advocate "his" plan for November, which is a repeat of the 0-43 2016 plan.

Add to this the GOP has a shortage of poll workers. This happened because Simpson ran off the qualified Primary Director in the fall of 2017, with no real replacement.

Yet even more reasons a new leader for Harris County Republicans, Chris Carmona, is critical for our party to be successful in 2018.

Red, White & Blue featuring TCR Editor Gary Polland and liberal commentator David Jones on Fridays at 7:30 pm on PBS Houston Channel 8, replaying Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 8, Monday at 11:30 pm on Channel 8.2 and on the web at www.houstonpublicmedia.org.

Upcoming show:

03-02-2018: Social Media and Politics.

Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who completed three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as the most successful county Chairman in America by Human Events - The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his twenty-first year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. The last sixteen years he has edited Texas Conservative Review. As a public service for the last 15 years, Gary has published election guides for the GOP primary, general elections and city elections, all with the purpose of assisting conservative candidates. Gary is also in his 15th year of co-hosting Red, White and Blue on PBS Houston, longest running political talk show in Texas history. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.