Campaign Trail Results: Game #15718
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Mitt Romney
- Running Mate: Marco Rubio
- Difficulty Level: Normal
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 347 | 66,617,399 | 51.58 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 191 | 61,341,878 | 47.50 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 883,190 | 0.68 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 309,549 | 0.24 |
Visits:
- Ohio:3
- Florida:2
- North Carolina:2
- Virginia:2
- Indiana:1
- Missouri:1
- Wisconsin: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?I think that's a question for the free market to decide. I don't think it's appropriate for NASA or somebody to launch an expensive program just for the sake of it.
- Should the government be doing more to stabilize home prices?For the most part, I don't think that's appropriate. There are some limited areas, like relaxing restrictions on foreign ownership, where we can still help out.
- 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?The federal government has forced Arizona's hand by being too lax on enforcement for far too long.
- To what extent should offshore drilling be permitted in the Gulf of Mexico?We need this oil to put America on a path towards energy independence.
- 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?I will defer to military brass on this question. They should do whatever best protects American interests and the safety of our troops.
- 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.
- We have now had 10 years to analyze the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act. Do you think it is time for a change?There is a danger of 'teaching to the test'. We do need some testing in place, but to do so on an annual basis is too frequent and interferes with good educational practice.
- 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?This is the wrong way to reform the American health care system. We should be focusing on malpractice reform and on cutting red tape for private insurers.
- Do you think the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon could be a model for broader federal legislation on the issue?That's ridiculous. Of course not.
- Do you see any need for a United States Institute of Peace?Can you name a single thing this agency has done? This just another example of how federal money is wasted on arcane projects in a time of fiscal crisis.
- 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?The U.S.-China relationship has destroyed middle class jobs for close to three decades. We need drastic changes including more protection for American manufacturing.
- The budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development was cut by nearly $4 billion in 2012. Do you think subsidized housing for the poor is a good place to begin reducing the federal deficit?We'll have to make decisions like these at some point. It's better to do so now when we still have some control over the outcome, rather than waiting for a budget crisis to kick in.
- What is your opinion on the Tea Party movement?Conservatives operate under the "big tent" philosophy. This is just one of many valued groups within the conservative umbrella.
- How do you feel about capitalism and the free market?Since the founding of our country, the free market has always been a bulwark of our prosperity.
- Should military spending be cut to help reduce the deficit? If so, by how much?Undermining our national security is not the best way to address our government deficit. I support a strong defense under any circumstances.
- 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?Some money for these programs is fine. This particular one is definitely too large and should not continue to increase in size while the rest of our economy is struggling.
- Tell us how you feel about the Keystone Pipeline.It's shameful that we're even having a debate on this. It just goes to show how much influence environmentalist groups have at the highest levels of government.
- During your tenure, Bain Capital laid off thousands of workers at various companies that it purchased. Are you proud of your work at that company?We created numerous companies like Staples, which are American success stories employing thousands of people.
- The rhetoric from some Republicans towards immigrants from Mexico has been quite harsh. Can you distance yourself from such comments?I think in isolated cases a few people have said things that aren't appropriate. Overall however, it's important for us to maintain the proper level of vigilance on the immigration issue.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Republican Convention?I will hammer on the theme that Obama has completely failed the United States as President. He has presided over the largest deficit increases and highest unemployment rate in almost a hundred years.
- What is your guiding foreign policy philosophy?Non-Intervention -- Most of our foreign troop deployments are relics of the Cold War. We need to stop occupying other nations and focus on fixing our problems here at home.
- In the most general terms, what will be your overall campaign strategy against Obama?My surrogates have plenty of points to make about the failure of the Obama Administration. As the nominee, I will take the high road and stick to a message of optimism and American renewal.