Campaign Trail Results: Game #765777
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Mitt Romney
- Running Mate: Tim Pawlenty
- 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 | 303 | 65,084,534 | 50.61 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 235 | 62,306,295 | 48.45 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 895,291 | 0.70 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 317,171 | 0.25 |
Visits:
- Pennsylvania:9
- Iowa:1
- Virginia: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?Are you suggesting that after fifty years of putting pressure on the Communist regime, when we're now so close to restoring democracy to that island, that we suddenly give up and let Castro win?
- Some involved with the space program have suggested sending astronauts to Mars, or even forming moon colonies. What is your take?Perhaps down the line we would consider that. I think at the present moment there are more urgent priorities.
- 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?I don't want to comment on an issue that is best left to the voters of Arizona.
- 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 think the system we have in place is working. There will be ebbs and flows in the water level, but we've already seen it start to rebound the last couple of years.
- Should the United States have been so quick to drop its support for Hosni Mubarak in 2011, given recent events in Egypt?We have allowed one of the last moderate regimes in the Middle East to be replaced by Muslim fundamentalists. This is an unconscionable betrayal of our ally Israel and will harm American security.
- What is your position on gay marriage?Under no circumstances should the sacred institution of marriage be undermined. The Defense of Marriage Act was passed specifially to address this issue.
- Is the United States too reliant on fossil fuels for its energy needs?Fossil fuels and coal are the backbone of our energy supply. If we got rid of those, what would we have left? We have to be realistic and realize that our options are limited.
- Do you support allowing the Bush Tax Cuts to expire for high-income households at the end of 2012?We should keep the tax cuts as is for the foreseeable future. I don't think it's sound economics to rise taxes on this group.
- The United States has historically subsidized corn producers. With recent price increases in the corn market, do you still believe that such a program is necessary?There is a need for some level of subsidies, but what we have now is too much.
- Do you support increased restrictions on handgun ownership?Some limited, sensible regulation is prudent. Overall, the right to own a gun should be protected.
- In general, do you think bilingual education programs are a good idea?Bilingual education is never a good idea. Students should be immersed in English as soon as possible, to speed their assimilation into American life, and to enhance their long term prospects of success in our society.
- Should all private insurance plans be required to cover contraceptives and birth control?The government has no right to dictate coverage requirements to private insurers.
- 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.
- Should the DEA prosecute medicinal marijuana growers in states where that practice has been legalized?Is this a real question? Where states refuse to uphold their responsibilities, the federal government should step in. Perhaps we can argue about the severity of the penalty, but never about the crime itself.
- Should American workers have the right to invest their Social Security withholdings in private accounts?If practical I would support a program that allows younger workers to invest a certain portion of their Social Security taxes into a different program.
- 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 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.
- What actions do you support to mitigate the effects of climate change?Even if climate change is real, it's impossible to determine how much of it results from human action. It's just as possible that the earth is warming of its own accord, and it makes no sense to disrupt our economy and potentially cause a depression until we have more information.
- 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.
- Do FEMA insurance payouts encourage real estate developers to build in disaster prone areas?It would be inhumane to suggest that we shouldn't be giving payouts to people who lose everything in a natural disaster.
- Can you clear up any confusion with the Republican base about your beliefs on global warming?I don't think it's unconservative to say that when a nation turns its back on science, that nation is destined to fail. Just look at what happened to the Arab world after the 1200s.
- You are one of the wealthiest individuals to ever run for President. Does this make it harder for you to understand the concerns of the average American voter?Ann and I lived in a basement apartment and ate tuna fish. I wasn't rich until my success in business, which I make no apology for.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Republican Convention?My message will be a message of hope. After four years of economic blight the American people need to feel good about themselves, and they need to know that their efforts will be rewarded with material prosperity.
- What is your guiding foreign policy philosophy?American Exceptionalism -- Providence has given America to the world as an inspiration, and we must vigorously defend the ideals of peace and freedom wherever they may be threatened.
- 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.