The Duce to the school kids: You need help? Don't expect any from me. Don't expect any from the federal government. Look to your parents, teachers, local police, and faith leaders.

"I want to speak now directly to America's children, especially those who feel lost alone confused or even scared. I want you to know that you are never alone, and you never will be," Trump said in televised remarks from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room.

"You have people who care about you, who love you and who will do anything at all to protect you. If you need help, turn to a teacher, a family member, a local police officer or a faith leader," he said.

He means there will be no gun legislation, though mass killings with such large numbers of victims are impossible without exceptionally dangerous weapons that could and should be banned on the federal level.

He has already repealed an Obama era regulation that impeded purchase of weapons by mentally challenged people.

And the GOP abolished the federal restrictions on private ownership of assault rifles and high capacity magazines years ago.

Florida school shooting: at least 17 people dead on 'horrific, horrific day'

What Republicans may accept is the sort of policing of those who might be dangerous that approaches conflict with privacy and civil liberties considerations.

After all, any attempt to limit, much less repeal, the Second Amendment or to limit Americans' ability to buy military grade rifles, let alone keep those they already have, will be denounced as treason and the most profound, unpatriotic, and un-American attack possible on traditional American values.

Unlike, say, holding scary Muslims forever at Gitmo without charge or trial, targeting the families of terrorists for murder, the third degree, torture, and permanent involuntary psychiatric commitment of scary people.

Those are as American and patriotic as motherhood and apple pie.

Or is it cherry pie?

Remember bump stocks?

Republican leaders in DC made all sorts of noises suggesting action, but they have allowed nothing to be done.

As I have written in the past, I think the 2nd Amendment should be repealed, along with the very similar provisions in many of our state constitutions.

And then let's see what the federal, state, and local authorities want to do.

I who write this own three handguns and hope not to have to give them up, though I suppose economic considerations may move me to sell two of them, keeping one for home defense.

Update.

Did I mention the right would urge police, surveillance-state solutions that would conflict with privacy and civil liberties considerations?

Republicans are blaming local and school authorities for not invoking Florida's Baker Act, an involuntary commitment statute, against the shooter.

Likewise in that same line they are insisting kids be taught to discern mental problems among their schoolmates and report them to school or local police authorities.

What we know about the shooter, Nikolas Cruz.

On MSNBC, there were reports the FBI had looked at him because of Internet brags that he wanted to be a "professional school shooter," brags they suspected were his but could not definitively tie to him.

White Supremacy Group Claims Nikolas Cruz as Member

But nothing indicates this attack had anything to do with race, so far.