Campaign Trail Results: Game #1388268
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Barack Obama
- Running Mate: Joe Biden
- Difficulty Level: Normal
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
joel.mels
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 332 | 65,668,478 | 50.95 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 206 | 61,983,545 | 48.09 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 886,326 | 0.69 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 361,354 | 0.28 |
Visits:
- Florida:8
- New York:3
- New Mexico:1
Answers:
- Do you believe the federal government is doing enough to enforce laws against employing illegal immigrants?The flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S. has slowed in recent years. We should be focusing more on expanding legal opportunities and bringing immigrants out of the shadows.
- 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?I don't want to comment on an issue that is best left to the voters of Arizona.
- The water level of Lake Mead (the reservoir near Hoover Dam) has been steadily dropping in recent years. Should the Bureau of Reclamation regulate the use of this water more strictly?They already regulate it too strictly in my opinion. Water should be much cheaper in the Southwest.
- 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 The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.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?What we have now is a good compromise. I don't see any need to change current military policy.
- 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.
- Will you launch an air campaign against Iranian nuclear sites if diplomatic negotiations continue to yield minimal results?This is a regime that has publicly stated its desire to 'wipe Israel off the map'. It would be suicidal to watch them develop a nuclear weapon without making some attempt to strike back.
- Do you support increased restrictions on handgun ownership?Some limited, sensible regulation is prudent. Overall, the right to own a gun should be protected.
- 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.
- The maximum duration of unemployment insurance, with all extensions factored in, has been reduced from 99 weeks. Do you think this is appropriate in the current economic climate?There shouldn't be limits on the duration of unemployment insurance. This program is the only thing supporting many displaced workers, and the economic benefits of unemployment insurance are also beyond dispute.
- Would you consider a default on some U.S. debt obligations if the financial situation of the country continues to deteriorate?Under no circumstances would the United States consider that as a course of action.
- What is your opinion on the Occupy Wall Street movement?I don't approve of these tactics. These protestors need to grow up and work within the system.
- Would you advocate cutting Peace Corps funding to help address the deficit?This is a valuable component of our international presence. We should maintain the funding we have in place, which is miniscule in proportion to our overall budget.
- Are you satisfied with the provisions within the 2012 Federal Highway Bill that could salvage over two million jobs in the construction industry?Ideally we should be spending much more on our infrastructure. Doing so would increase overall employment and pave the way for future prosperity.
- Should large banks like Chase, Citibank, and Bank of America be broken up to reduce the risk of another financial crisis?We have passed the Dodd-Frank Act to analyze systemic risks to the financial system.
- The Supreme Court will be deciding an affirmative action case this fall involving the University of Texas. Should colleges be allowed to consider the race of an applicant when deciding whether to admit them?I oppose discrimination in all of its forms. Colleges should be forced to admit based on the merit of their applications, in a color-blind fashion.
- Federal funding for Community Health Centers has more than doubled in the past ten years to over $2 billion annually. Is this an example of out of control government spending?This is a worthy program and I have no problem with the amount of money that is allocated to it.
- Who are the real job creators in this country -- hardworking American citizens or Washington bureaucrats?American small business, obviously. I will be their champion as President.
- Some theorists have suggested that the government create guaranteed jobs at the federal minimum wage, to help support the labor market. Is this something that you would consider?If we created jobs like this at a set minimum wage, it would benefit everyone. Private sector wages would increase and economic insecurity would be greatly mitigated for millions of people.
- Christina Romer -- formerly the Chairperson on your Council of Economic Advisors -- stated in 2009 that unemployment would be less than 6% by 2012 if the stimulus package was enacted. What went wrong, and did the results of the stimulus have any bearing on her resignation?First of all, this had no bearing on her decision to leave the Obama Administration. Secondly, the economy is a very complex animal and we were doing the best we could with the charts and formulas we had available at the time.
- Many people speculate that the Affordable Health Care Act is the first step on the road to socialized medicine. Can you address these concerns?If we wanted socialized medicine we would have submitted a socialized medicine bill. I don't think these conspiracy theories are very helpful when it comes to effectively governing a modern, complex society.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Democratic Convention?It's important for people to remember the truth about our opponents. I will emphasize how their plans will kill Medicare as we know it, do nothing to combat the sluggish economy, and will only make the rich richer.
- Over half of all sexual harassment complaints filed in 2011 were dismissed -- an increase from previous years. Do you think enough is being done to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace?I'm very concerned about this issue. I would like to see our funding level increase for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, so that adequate resources are in place to pursue these claims.
- 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?I will promise a fresh start in overcoming the gridlock in Washington. In my second term I will reach out to moderates and sensible Republicans to find common, pragmatic solutions to our most pressing issues.