Campaign Trail Results: Game #687677
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:
- cdorsey028
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 332 | 66,523,096 | 51.08 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 206 | 62,448,947 | 47.96 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 891,709 | 0.68 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 359,951 | 0.28 |
Visits:
- Florida:5
- North Carolina:5
- Ohio:2
Answers:
- Do you believe the federal government is doing enough to enforce laws against employing illegal immigrants?The Department of Homeland Security is deporting hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants each year. How can anyone suggest that we're not trying to address this issue?
- 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?I'm very worried about the falling water levels in that area. If this continues, then we would eventually need to consider taking action.
- 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.
- How do you view the practice of hydraulic fracturing (aka 'fracking') in the Dakotas and elsewhere?Fracking poisons our drinking water and postpones the development of alternative energy sources. This practice should be outlawed.
- In November 2011, Ohio voters rejected a law to limit collective bargaining power for public unions. Do public sector unions such as teachers' and police unions have too much bargaining power?Unions have been eviscerated by decades of outsourcing. Public unions are a necessary bulwark of the middle class and should have every right to bargain for fair wages and benefits.
- What is your position on gay marriage?I think civil unions are an acceptable compromise for the majority of mainstream Americans.
- 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?Of course I will always act in the best interests of the United States. We are keeping all options on the table, but it's irresponsible at this point to go into further details.
- What do you think we should do next in regards to Social Security?You know, the projected shortfall that people talk of, we're not even talking about the Trust Fund making a net payout until 2033. Maybe there are some tweaks we can make to the program, but it is fundamentally sound.
- 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?This is a good program overall. Perhaps some minor details can be fixed, but without standardized testing there is no way to monitor the quality of our educational system.
- Michigan was one of the hardest hit states in the recent recession. Do you support higher taxes on foreign vehicles while that auto industry regroups in that state?Most foreign companies also build their cars in the United States and employ thousands of Americans. This policy would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
- 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?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?Ben Bernanke has been a disaster. The Fed's expansionist monetary policy caused this recession, and the continuance of that policy has delayed our recovery.
- 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.
- 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.
- Should military spending be cut to help reduce the deficit? If so, by how much?How can Republicans talk about cutting the size of the federal government without supporting a dime of military cuts? In a post-Cold War environment, it makes absolutely no sense for us to spend what we do on defense. Military spending should be cut drastically.
- Without divulging a preference for any particular religious group, do you believe that America was founded as a Christian nation?This is an arcane debate. The First Amendment guarantees religious freedom in the U.S., and the personal beliefs of the founders are not a relevant policy issue.
- 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?We need much greater spending to protect our most vulnerable citizens, but the least we can do is to make sure that existing programs like this one are protected from right-wing demagogues.
- 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 oil companies have at the highest levels of government.
- Would you consider military action in Syria if the impasse between Bashar Assad and the rebels there continues?I'm not sure if we should commit our troops to additional combat theatres at the present time. We shouldn't be attempting to navigate Syrian politics.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Democratic Convention?I will give an honest speech about the challenges I was facing in 2009, what I did to address them, what I tried to do that was blocked by Republican obstructionism, and what jobs policies I will continue to push for in my second term.
- 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.