who would you rather have as your senator?

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Definitely Heitkamp, one of my favorite Freshmen Senators.

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the more progressive one, obviously.  mccain.

Name an issue other than guns where McCain is more liberal (not progressive - that's a stupid word).

probably most.

i would take an informed guess that mccain is much more progressive than her when it comes to environmental issues.

McCain isn't a progressive at all. This is a man that favors privatization of Social Security and voucherization of Medicare. Heitkamp doesn't. Just because she upsets your sensibilities on gun issues (and don't get me wrong, I'm not on the same page with her on UBC, but I am on assault weapons) doesn't make her less progressive than John "Let's Invade and Occupy Every Country in the Middle East" McCain.

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social security should at least be partially privatized.  that is a very progressive position. 

payroll taxes are regressive.

Privatizing Social Security at all is not a "progressive" position. You can't call yourself a progressive and favor the elimination (even the partial elimination) of the most important program ever established by progressives.