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:::::Taking a look at their ratings, Dinsdale is right...in a very limited sense. For 2006 (specifically,) the ACU rates McCain and Stevens almost identically (64 and 65.) However, McCain's 2007 rating is higher, and his lifetime rating is considerably higher (to the tune of about 20 points, 82.16 to 64.45.) Given the long service of both men, I think we can consider their lifetime ratings pretty reliable.--[[User:Benp|Benp]] 20:53, 31 July 2008 (EDT)
:::::Taking a look at their ratings, Dinsdale is right...in a very limited sense. For 2006 (specifically,) the ACU rates McCain and Stevens almost identically (64 and 65.) However, McCain's 2007 rating is higher, and his lifetime rating is considerably higher (to the tune of about 20 points, 82.16 to 64.45.) Given the long service of both men, I think we can consider their lifetime ratings pretty reliable.--[[User:Benp|Benp]] 20:53, 31 July 2008 (EDT)
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I'm fine with using the ACU ratings, because any valid source is an improvement to the article. As for the credibility of Govtrack, I had Googled "Ted Stevens voting record" and it was one of the top results. The site struck me as particularly credible because it uses open-source code ''and'' open-source data; if there's any improper spin on the results the public is free to verify it for themselves. From their "About" page:
::"An independent, non-partisan, non-commercial website launched in September 2004, GovTrack.us was the first website whose primary goal was to provide comprehensive legislative tracking for everyday citizens and was the first congressional transparency website to embrace Web 2.0 and principles of open data. GovTrack.us was a 2006 Webby Award nominee and has been mentioned in The New York Times, the The Washington Post, and ArsTechnica."
One of the more interesting pages on the site was the one I used to draw the McCain/Stevens comparison. It graphically arranges all the members of both houses of Congress based on their voting records in the current session (you were right, Ben - I didn't see a career-based view). --[[User:DinsdaleP|DinsdaleP]] 21:25, 31 July 2008 (EDT)