Texas gun ruling affirms limits of Congress' power

Second Amendment groups applauded last week after a federal judge in Texas ruled that several national firearm regulations were unconstitutional. But the decision did not hinge on gun rights. Rather, it affirmed a broader principle: The federal government's powers are limited to those explicitly granted by the Constitution. The case involved the National Firearms Act, a 1934 law that targeted weapons and accessories thought to be favored by criminals. Because that law was framed as a revenue…