Campaign Trail Results: Game #757897
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:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 279 | 63,913,840 | 49.37 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 259 | 64,329,017 | 49.69 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 898,575 | 0.69 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 317,738 | 0.25 |
Visits:
- Florida:5
- Ohio:3
- Virginia:2
- Iowa:1
- Nevada: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.
- 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.
- To what extent should offshore drilling be permitted in the Gulf of Mexico?How can we be having this debate only two years after the Deepwater Horizon spill? Gulf Coast oil drilling should be severely restricted or banned.
- 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?That's an issue for the states to decide. You know, the federal government does not support collective bargaining for its employees, so it's not appropriate for me to comment on a state matter.
- Would you support posting active U.S. Army troops on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling?This is probably unconstitutional and would represent another step in the transformation of our country into a police state.
- 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.
- 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.
- Would it help our economy if government employment was increased? Or would this divert valuable resources from the private sector?Government employment should be increased during recessions to mitigate the effects of a drop in private sector output.
- What is your opinion on the 'gunwalking' tactics that led to the 'Fast and Furious' scandal?This is a specialized occupational question that can best be answered by the ATF and the Department of Justice.
- Does it still make sense to provide military aid to Pakistan's government?Osama Bin Laden was living in a mansion that the government paid for with our money. It's time for this relationship to end.
- 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.
- Should Angela Merkel be doing more to preserve to Euro as the European Union's common currency?If Merkel fails in this mission, we all will be affected negatively. I have the utmost faith that she realizes this and will act accordingly.
- 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?This is a corrupt, ludicrous practice which Congress uses to hide the true size of our budget and Social Security deficits.
- Are you satisfied with the provisions within the 2012 Federal Highway Bill that could salvage over two million jobs in the construction industry?Maybe we had our disagreements over the exact size and nature of this spending, but nobody seriously thinks that we should stop funding our highways.
- How do you feel about capitalism and the free market?I am a firm proponent of the free market. We simply need effective regulation to make sure that the economy works as best as it possibly can.
- 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.
- 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?In Europe, secondary education is publicly funded. I'm just pointing that out...
- What is the best way to make college more affordable for young people?If we had more federal funding for student loans and grants, it would make college more accessible to underprivileged students. I also support increased grants to the states to support their state university systems.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Democratic Convention?I will talk about the myriad methods that the Republicans use to divide our country. I will remind everyone that Democrats are truly the party of the common person -- regardless of background or income level.
- Over half of all sexual harassment complaints filed in 2011 were dismissed -- an increase from previous years. Do you think enough is being done to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace?I'm very concerned about this issue. I would like to see our funding level increase for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, so that adequate resources are in place to pursue these claims.
- 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?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.