A WHIFF OF GUNPOWDER: Roll Call has an article on gun lobbying. It’s subscription only, but here’s a key bit:

Any lingering doubt about the gun lobby’s continued juice under Democratic rule was laid to rest Thursday. House Republicans, maneuvering to derail a bill to grant Congressional voting rights to the District of Columbia, inserted a provision in their alternative measure that would dramatically scale back the city’s gun restrictions.

But nervous that conservative members of their Caucus who favor gun rights could switch sides and hand the Republicans a victory, House Democratic leaders pulled the bill from consideration — and Republicans gloated. “Fearing that many in their party would support Second Amendment rights for District residents, the Democratic Leadership shamefully exploited a rule to kill debate and postpone the vote indefinitely,” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said in a statement.

Though the NRA has pushed in the past to roll back the district’s gun restrictions, Cox said his group had no hand in the effort on the voting rights bill. Nevertheless, he said its fate testifies to the potency of the issue. “What you’ve seen is the political reality that the Second Amendment is a major political force, not only on Election Day, but throughout the legislative process,” he said.

It certainly seems that way. I wonder how Jim Webb would have voted? Would he vote differently today than last week?

UPDATE: Michael Geisler, who doesn’t understand the conditional, writes: “Have you figured out yet that Senators can’t vote on House measures you dumbass, you?”

Would have. Not did. Got it?

ANOTHER UPDATE: XRLQ emails: “Has Michael Geisler figured out yet that Senators *can* vote on bills that originate in the House, and in fact must do so before said bills can reach the President’s desk for signature, he dumbass, he?”

Apparently not. Par for the course from my critics, alas.