Congress, can you spare a gun?

The House yesterday passed - by a wide margin - the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act, which would repeal most local gun laws in nation's capital. The vote forced 52 Democrats to cross the aisle and support the measure - 16 of which are in competitive races back home - and 22 Republicans to cross the aisle - ostensibly because they remembered their party favors local control.

The bill's next stop is nowhere - the Senate is unlikely to take the measure under consideration this year. The vote forced many Democrats to cast a vote that can easily be spun as "anti-2nd Amendment," however - giving their Republican opponents a wedge.

While anti-gun control is certainly a core issue for many Republicans, local control seems to be slipping in popularity. This election year has certainly helped to prioritize the GOP's core values, though - and, in case you're not keeping track at home, here's what we've learned so far:

1. The fight against gay marriage trumps states' rights
2. Allowing guns in D.C. trumps local control
3. Court stripping trumps the separation of powers
4. Federalism is a good thing when gays, guns or God is involved
5. Party moderates look great on TV

House GOP Leadership will continue with the election-year hit parade today - the renamed Federal Marriage Amendment makes its debut as the Marriage Protection Amendment; see rule one.

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