Campaign Trail Results: Game #721371
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Barack Obama
- Running Mate: Joe Biden
- Difficulty Level: Easy
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
- NickMitchell
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 363 | 70,130,972 | 54.20 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 175 | 58,113,484 | 44.91 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 818,752 | 0.63 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 327,979 | 0.25 |
Visits:
- Georgia:9
- Indiana:2
- Missouri:1
Answers:
- Should the Confederate flag be removed entirely from the South Carolina statehouse grounds?The good people of South Carolina have already worked out a compromise on this issue, and I don't see how it's useful for us today to revisit that.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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?I support the hardworking teachers and firefighters of Ohio and elsewhere.
- What can the U.S. do to assist pro-democracy protestors in Russia?We should be making public appeals to Vladimir Putin, and consider trade sanctions if he does not relax the political environment there.
- There is currently a large amount of drug violence in Mexico near the U.S. border. What would you do as President to help stabilize this situation?I hate to keep coming back to this, but we need a wall at the border and we need to greatly step up our enforcement efforts. Longer prison sentences and a stronger DEA will reduce drug trafficking.
- 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?I support letting the cuts expire. It's time that wealthy Americans paid their fair share for the opportunities our society gives to them.
- What is your opinion on directing some Department of Education funding towards a school voucher program?This practice undermines our public education system, and should not be permitted.
- 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?Absolutely. We need to create an environment where American products can compete fairly with foreign imports.
- 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.
- Does it still make sense to provide military aid to Pakistan's government?Further aid should be directly tied to Pakistan's continuing progress towards openness and democracy.
- 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?It is not a good idea to cut the size of the government in the midst of a recession. Shrinking payrolls at the state level have served to drag down our most recent recovery.
- Do you think reduced penalties and increased treatment for drug users would help reduce the flow of drugs from Latin America?Perhaps there is a role for this, but our primary focus should be on targeting the cartels overseas and on providing military and economic support to any government that will assist us in that endeavor.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- What do you think the next steps should be in regards to Medicare?We must do whatever it takes to preserve Medicare. This program is one of the most important functions of the federal government.
- 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.
- Do FEMA insurance payouts encourage real estate developers to build in disaster prone areas?There is absolutely a danger of this happening. That's why we have a National Flood Insurance Program which provides strict guidelines on where people are permitted to build.
- 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.