National Journal: McCain Tops List of Most Conservative Senators

[Synthaholic]

National Journal: McCain Tops List of Most Conservative Senators


In the ideological rankings of members of Congress that the National Journal released Thursday, one name stands out.

Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona.

Once a self-described “maverick” whose conservative ranking in the survey was among the lowest in the Senate, Mr. McCain this year tied with a handful of other Republican senators as the most conservative of all, according to a release provided to The Caucus by the National Journal.

The news organization ranked lawmakers on the ideological spectrum based on about 100 key votes in 2010. The annual survey assigns point values to the votes, and Republicans receive scores. The closer to 100, the more conservative they are.

Mr. McCain earned an 89.7, putting him in a tie with senators like Jim DeMint of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas and John Barrasso of Wyoming. No one scored higher than that in this year’s survey.

That contrasts with previous years, when Mr. McCain regularly ranked as somewhere near the 45th most conservative member of the Senate.​

More at the link.

 

[Oddball]

Juan McWho?

 

[Skull Pilot]

McCain a conservative?

That's a hoot!

 

[Synthaholic]

Juan McWho?

The guy you voted for.

 

[Oddball]

I voted for Bob Barr.

 

[BolshevikHunter]

McCain actually makes the top Liberal Republican Senators list. ~BH

 

[Ragnar]

It really all depends on the method to one's madness:

2010′s most conservative US Senator was … « Hot Air

The Poole Reports use a better measure. Instead of handpicking specific votes, Dr. Keith Poole and his team use all of the votes in a session (not a year) and throw out unanimous and nearly-unanimous votes, such as on resolutions and office-naming legislation. The report calculates all votes with significant dissent and then derives averages of how often each member voted with their own party. That gives a much better representation of “maverickiness” and polarity within each chamber and caucus. In the 110th Congress, the Poole report showed Russ Feingold occupying his regular spot as the most liberal Senator, with Obama coming in at 16th.

Poole has the report up for the 111th Congress. In descending order, the most conservative Senators were:

* Tom Coburn
* Jim DeMint
* John Kyl
* John Barrasso
* Jim Inhofe

 

[peach174]

You can't be serious. McCain is a progressive,just like his daughter who admitted to being a progressive on camera. He is still for more Government not less Government.

 

[Synthaholic]

Wow. And you all have the nerve to post on a political message board?

McCain WAS one of the most conservative Senators last year: he was in a death fight with wingnut J.D. Hayworth, who was spreading the batshit far and wide.

McCain won by completely abandoning his history as a moderate (that is, when he wasn't being all 'mavericky'). And he fooled the voters in fucked-up Arizona once again.

 

[whitehall]

Is that the best conservatives can do? A senator who votes against conservative principles more than 10% of the time? Factor in McCain's age and health and track record in presidential races and you have a dismal candidate.

 

[theHawk]

Now this is the kind of change I like.

 

[peach174]

Wow. And you all have the nerve to post on a political message board?

McCain WAS one of the most conservative Senators last year: he was in a death fight with wingnut J.D. Hayworth, who was spreading the batshit far and wide.

McCain won by completely abandoning his history as a moderate (that is, when he wasn't being all 'mavericky'). And he fooled the voters in fucked-up Arizona once again.

No He did not fool us here in AZ. It's just that we had lousy pickings once again, it was like usual having to vote for the lesser of two evils.
We need to get real reform of the way both parties are set up, and get the power out of their hands. How we the people do this is a whole nother discussion.

 

[Two Thumbs]

Kinda funny how we are supposed to beleive a liberal rags opinion on what makes someone conservative.

 

[bodecea]

This is so funny! First he's a wonderful Conservative as the Republican Presidential Candidate...then he's a horrible RINO as the AZ Senatorial Candidate...now he's back to being a wonderful Conservative.

 

[Oddball]

He was a horrible "conservative" (whatever the hell that's supposed to mean anymore) as a presidential candidate.

The only people I've heard of who ever refer to him as a "good conservative" are neocon nitwits like Michael Medved.

 

[Two Thumbs]

This is so funny! First he's a wonderful Conservative as the Republican Presidential Candidate...then he's a horrible RINO as the AZ Senatorial Candidate...now he's back to being a wonderful Conservative.

Compared to obama he was the staunchiest conservative of all times.

Compared to actual conservatives he's progressive.




Seriously. Are you taking the opinion of some liberal rag as to who is and is not conservative?

McCain is not the most conservative Sen, he's the most Republican Sen.

 

[peach174]

He's an A-hole alright, but he's our A-hole. I live in AZ.
At least he has always been for our troops.

 

[Avorysuds]

When a liberal like McCain tops the list you know Conservatives have not been represented lol.
And I’m not talking about the pro life pro Military conservatives, I mean the non hypocrisy conservatives.

 

[Avorysuds]

He's an A-hole alright, but he's our A-hole. I live in AZ.
At least he has always been for our troops.

Lol at least there is that... Sure likes to send em off to war though... But hey, he will use them if it helps win political points in a heart beat.

 

[peach174]

Well I was talking about their benifits and better treatments for the VA Hospital.
But ya, he did vote for both Bush's wars.