Campaign Trail Results: Game #1488899
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Barack Obama
- Running Mate: Joe Biden
- Difficulty Level: Normal
- Winner Take All Mode?: No
- Game Played:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Mitt Romney | 278 | 64,071,744 | 49.71 |
| ---- Barack Obama | 260 | 63,577,335 | 49.33 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 884,011 | 0.69 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 349,590 | 0.27 |
Visits:
- Florida:5
- Texas:2
- California:1
- New Mexico:1
- New York:1
- Ohio:1
- Pennsylvania:1
Answers:
- Some observers have argued that an embargo of Cuba makes little sense in a post Cold War environment. What do you think?Current policy against Cuba, while obviously not perfect, is on the right track and we should continue it.
- Should the government be doing more to stabilize home prices?There should be a federal program to cover any shortfall when a homeowner is forced to sell for less than the value of their mortgage.
- 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.
- 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?Yes. People will continue to move into the region and place an unsustainable burden on the water supply unless the price accurately reflects current and future scarcity.
- Should the federal government continue to finance newer companies that attempt to develop alternative energy resources, such as solar power and electric car manufacturers?Every day that we don't invest in solar power is a day that we fall further behind countries like China and Germany. Investment should be increased.
- Should the United States have been so quick to drop its support for Hosni Mubarak in 2011, given recent events in Egypt?Decades of meddling by the U.S. has created these unstable situations in the Middle East. We should have withheld our support for Mubarak when he first took office, instead of giving him billions in military aid.
- How do you view the practice of hydraulic fracturing (aka 'fracking') in the Dakotas and elsewhere?I'm very skeptical of the idea that we can trust oil companies to look out for the interests of the little guy. There should be greater regulations to preserve the safety of our water supply.
- Would you support posting active U.S. Army troops on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling?I don't agree with that course of action. The Border Patrol is in place to do just that job.
- What is your position on gay marriage?I think civil unions are an acceptable compromise for the majority of mainstream Americans.
- 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?I support letting the cuts expire. It's time that wealthy Americans paid their fair share for the opportunities our society gives to them.
- In general, do you think bilingual education programs are a good idea?Absolutely. It it discriminatory not to allow American students to learn in their native languages.
- 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.
- 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.
- How do you feel about capitalism and the free market?We need greater cooperation between government and corporations. I'm not opposed to government investments and even ownership of key industries, where appropriate.
- Should large banks like Chase, Citibank, and Bank of America be broken up to reduce the risk of another financial crisis?That's not the best solution for us to take. The last thing we need right now in the financial sector is some kind of arbitrary, destabilizing government action.
- The most recent data (for 2010) on Pell Grants indicate that 60% of all college students receive one. In that same year, the program cost $36 billion. What changes, if any, would you recommend to this program?Students are the future of this country and they need all the help they can get to make it through college, especially considering how much tuition has been increased over the past few years.
- 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.
- Is there too much regulation of the American logging industry?Current practices are much too permissive. Priceless old-growth forest has been almost completely destroyed, and we are headed into the future on an unsustainable trajectory.
- Tell us how you feel about the Keystone Pipeline.Now isn't the best time to decide this. Perhaps in 2013 we can make a rational decision that is not influenced by politics.
- Would you consider military action in Syria if the impasse between Bashar Assad and the rebels there continues?I will do what is necessary to preserve freedom and human rights in Syria. It's impossible to say whether that means committing the U.S. military or not at this point.
- 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.
- Joe Biden made what can only be described as a gaffe on the campaign trail today. What are your comments?What can you say? We've all been out here for weeks with very little sleep. No one knows more about foreign policy than Joe Biden, so I'm sure it was just a slip of the tongue.
- What is your guiding foreign policy philosophy?Human Rights -- It's past time that we cut allegiances with dictators like the House of Saud and truly lived up to our ideals. I will only support or give aid to democratically elected leaders.
- 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.