Campaign Trail Results: Game #630661
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Barack Obama
- Running Mate: Joe Biden
- Difficulty Level: Hard
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
- ndevries50
View overall results, or a specific state:
Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
---|---|---|---|
---- Mitt Romney | 325 | 65,270,834 | 50.70 |
---- Barack Obama | 213 | 62,263,204 | 48.37 |
---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 889,627 | 0.69 |
---- Jill Stein | 0 | 307,342 | 0.24 |
Visits:
- Pennsylvania:5
- Ohio:4
- Florida:1
- North Carolina:1
- Wisconsin:1
Answers:
- What is your opinion on the detention center at Guantanamo Bay? Would you consider closing it after the election?The center at Guantanamo should definitely be closed. The only thing preventing it so far is obstructionism from the Republican Congress. Furthermore, there is no evidence that half of these detainees are even terrorists.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.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?I support letting the cuts expire. It's time that wealthy Americans paid their fair share for the opportunities our society gives to them.
- Should all private insurance plans be required to cover contraceptives and birth control?This is a fundamental right for women. Birth control speaks to the heart of controlling one's own destiny in life, and using it has practical health benefits as well.
- 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.
- Should the DEA prosecute medicinal marijuana growers in states where that practice has been legalized?This entire thing wouldn't even be an issue if marijuana were decriminalized as it should be. The DEA should never be prosecuting non-violent, licensed growers of medicinal marijuana.
- 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.
- Is it time for the federal government to cut spending, even with the economy growing at less than 2% annually?Absolutely not. If anything, we should be increasing the size of government right now to fight the stagnant economy. Had the size of the initial Stimulus Act in 2009 been sufficient, for instance, we wouldn't be having these problems now.
- Do you have any comment to make on the performance of Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve?I'm a little disappointed with the overly cautious stance Bernanke has taken towards interest rates and other programs. By raising the inflation target we could reduce the burden of our private and public debt and spark a more vigorous recovery.
- Should taxpayers be forced to subsidize Planned Parenthood via federal subsidies?Planned Parenthood is an essential component of our public health system. The right of women to control their bodies and their reproductive destinies is inviolable.
- Should American workers have the right to invest their Social Security withholdings in private accounts?This is the first step that those who wish to abolish Social Security would like to implement. The integrity of Social Security should be preserved at all times.
- 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 have to make difficult choices. I don't like this any more than most people, but small cuts are necessary to put us on a fiscally sustainable path.
- What is your opinion on the Tea Party movement?A funny thing happened on January 20, 2009 -- millions of people who supported Bush's deficits suddenly flip-flopped into budget hawks. This group is obviously just a political front for the far right wing of the Republican Party.
- 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.
- Will you wear an American flag lapel on your suit as you campaign?It baffles me how someone could be ashamed to display the American flag. It seems a little unpatriotic to me.
- 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.
- Your former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is currently engaged in a high-profile struggle with the Chicago Teachers Union. Do you hope that he succeeds?This is a local issue that Chicago needs to figure out. It's probably best for me not to comment on this.
- You have expressed support for increasing taxes on the rich to address our budget shortfall. However, almost half of Americans currently pay no income taxes. Are you sure this is a good idea?You're repeating a right-wing talking point. Most lower-earners still pay Social Security taxes, which alone is enough to ensure that their proportional rate of taxation remains fairly high.
- 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.
- 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?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.