Campaign Trail Results: Game #1369609
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Barack Obama
- Running Mate: Joe Biden
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
nstrothers40
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 348 | 70,598,095 | 53.94 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 190 | 59,159,971 | 45.20 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 829,716 | 0.63 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 290,836 | 0.22 |
Visits:
- North Carolina:8
- Florida:2
- Iowa:1
- Ohio:1
Answers:
- Some observers have argued that an embargo of Cuba makes little sense in a post Cold War environment. What do you think?I dislike Fidel Castro as much as anyone. We should keep the embargo but also look for other ways to democratize that country.
- Some involved with the space program have suggested sending astronauts to Mars, or even forming moon colonies. What is your take?Absolutely. We need a return to the days when America dreamed big, and when children were inspired to reach for the stars.
- A recent Supreme Court decision affirmed an Arizona law allowing officers to check suspected illegal immigrants for proof of immigration status. Do you think this law is a good idea?This is an unconscionable violation of civil rights and will certainly lead to racial profiling.
- Do you have an opinion on net neutrality?In limited cases, to ensure the smooth functioning of the net on the technical side, I would consider some restrictions. But entire websites should never be blocked to end users, as some have speculated.
- Do you support a larger fence or even a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration?I think that what we have now is sufficient. There's no need to constantly revisit this issue when the Border Patrol has seen documented success in reducing immigration over the past few years.
- What is your position on gay marriage?Gay marriage should be protected at the federal level. The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.
- Should military women serve in combat roles?Separate is inherently unequal. There is nothing preventing women from serving in combat roles.
- Do you support allowing the Bush Tax Cuts to expire for high-income households at the end of 2012?Perhaps we can consider letting these expire at some point in the future, but for now we are mired in a stagnant economy and need to avoid tax increases.
- Do you support continued subsidies for the production of ethanol fuel?These subsidies were well-intentioned, but I think that solar and wind have more long-term potential.
- Should middle school students learn about contraception in health class, or will this simply encourage them to experiment?That doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Perhaps with high schoolers it makes more sense to, you know, delve into some of those details.
- The Affordable Care Act (i.e. 'Obamacare') will cap annual premiums, require minimum coverage levels, and outlaw discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions. What do you think?I'm convinced that this program will work. This is a good compromise allowing private insurers to conduct business, while securing access to health insurance for more Americans. If anything, the increased transparency will reduce insurance costs.
- Is it time for the federal government to cut spending, even with the economy growing at less than 2% annually?It is not a good idea to cut the size of the government in the midst of a recession. Shrinking payrolls at the state level have served to drag down our most recent recovery.
- Do you have any comment to make on the performance of Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve?Bernanke has performed admirably given the challenges he has faced.
- Apple's use of cheap, Chinese labor via Foxconn has increased the visibility of labor conditions in that country. Do you think that China competes unfairly with the U.S. by denying basic rights to its workers?Any trade deals should be negotiated with a fair balance between American and Chinese interests. China is not doing enough to protect the rights of their workers, which gives them an unfair advantage in global trade.
- Would you consider a default on some U.S. debt obligations if the financial situation of the country continues to deteriorate?We need to consider all options. A controlled debt writedown just might be the best way to reignite the world economy, which is suffering from an abundance of bad debt at the current moment.
- Should the Social Security Trust Fund be purchasing U.S. Treasury bills? Should it be allowed to invest in other bonds and securities to potentially increase its rate of return? Or conversely, should the funds be held in a 'lockbox' to guarantee benefit payments?I think anyone who has managed money can tell you there is a place for U.S. Treasuries in any professional portfolio. Allowing the Social Security fund to invest in other securities opens a huge number of potential problems and conflicts of interest.
- How much attack advertising will your campaign use?If our opponent does that kind of thing, then we will certainly follow suit.
- What actions do you support to mitigate the effects of climate change?We should have more laws and regulations to reduce our total carbon emissions. Sensible next steps include some combination of a cap-and-trade program domestically, as well as international agreements with other nations.
- Who are the real job creators in this country -- hardworking American citizens or Washington bureaucrats?Are you expecting me to even answer such a loaded question?
- This morning you went to an elementary school and read books to a class of second-graders. How did you enjoy yourself?I had a fantastic time. Days like today remind me of why we need more federal funding for education.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Democratic Convention?I will talk at great length about how we've drifted from the tradition of liberalism that was built by the likes of Roosevelt, Johnson, and Humphrey. I will reaffirm my commitment to this vision in my second term.
- Would you support an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution to protect women's rights?Absolutely I would. We need to reaffirm our collective commitment to this issue.
- Be perfectly honest. How do you like Mitt Romney as a person?Mitt Romney is a great American success story. His efforts over the years have been admirable. I just don't think he has the best policies in mind for America.
- What is your guiding foreign policy philosophy?Pragmatism -- Our foreign policy right now is effective. We need to guide foreign nations towards democracy and open markets. Doing so will increase the world's prosperity and decrease the chance of future wars.
- In the most general terms, what will be your overall campaign strategy against Romney?Behind the scenes my surrogates have plenty of dirt to spread about Romney and the Republicans. As President, I will stick to a message of optimism and hope in my own campaign speeches.