# What are McCain's legislative accomplishments?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mccains-legislative-accomplishments/438525>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 21, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mccains-legislative-accomplishments/438525 "2008-02-21T06:15:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mccains-legislative-accomplishments/438525/1 "2008-02-21T06:15:44Z")

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Does McCain have any major legislative accomplishments aside from McCain-Feingold?

I’m looking through his THOMAS record, and his campaign website, and I’m not seeing much. Am I missing some big things?

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**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mccains-legislative-accomplishments/438525/2 "2008-02-21T06:48:15Z")

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He’s a war hero! And a straight shooter! And a maverick! He doesn’t _need_ no stinkin’ legislative accomplishments!

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mccains-legislative-accomplishments/438525/3 "2008-02-21T07:06:14Z")

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I think his efforts in concert with John Kerry towards normalizing relations with Viet Nam were wholly commendable, though not strictly legislative. And the (anonymous)-Feingold bill was a worthy first effort.

The problem isn’t McCains many honorable positions, it is that he is intent on repudiating each and every. In order to panderize positions and people he used to have contempt for. The other problem is that he doesn’t seem to be running so much for President as for Commander in Chief.

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**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mccains-legislative-accomplishments/438525/4 "2008-02-21T07:09:30Z")

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I wasn’t questioning his positions, but rather his track record of accomplishment. That is, after all, the standard that he is asking be applied.

I’ll add trade normalization with 'Nam to the list. That makes two (so far), one of which he has all but repudiated, in 20 years in the Senate.

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**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\
**Post date:** [February 21, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-mccains-legislative-accomplishments/438525/5 "2008-02-21T07:22:22Z")

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He sponsored a cap and trade bill in '03 … it didn’t pass though.