Campaign Trail Results: Game #800356
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 | 290 | 64,880,518 | 50.00 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 248 | 63,662,155 | 49.07 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 885,033 | 0.68 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 322,666 | 0.25 |
Visits:
- Virginia:6
- Florida:2
- Iowa:2
- Ohio:1
- Pennsylvania:1
Answers:
- 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.
- Does it make sense to dispose our nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada?I think that what we're doing now is fine. There is no point in revisiting this issue, since the Yucca Mountain plans have been scrapped in any case.
- To what extent should offshore drilling be permitted in the Gulf of Mexico?We need this oil to put America on a path towards energy independence.
- 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.
- Do you support a larger fence or even a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration?The border fence should become a border wall, with more depth to its patrols. It is simply too easy for migrants to sneak across the border right now.
- What is your position on gay marriage?I'm opposed this personally. I think that, you know, different states have different opinions on this matter and it's best left to them to decide on the 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?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.
- Do you support continued subsidies for the production of ethanol fuel?Hmm... I think we need more research to really know how this program is performing. Our Administration will make this a high priority.
- 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?The Department of Agriculture uses subsidies to rationally manage food production. It would be foolish to reverse that policy.
- What do you think we should do next in regards to Social Security?With minor changes like an increase to the retirement age and means testing after a certain benefit level, we can ensure the solvency of this program long into the future.
- 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.
- 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.
- Do you see any need for a United States Institute of Peace?Can you name a single thing this agency has done? This just another example of how federal money is wasted on arcane projects in a time of fiscal crisis.
- Should American workers have the right to invest their Social Security withholdings in private accounts?We definitely need to make some changes to the Social Security program, but this is going too far.
- 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'll have to make decisions like these at some point. It's better to do so now when we still have some control over the outcome, rather than waiting for a budget crisis to kick in.
- 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.
- 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 environmentalist groups have at the highest levels of government.
- During your tenure, Bain Capital laid off thousands of workers at various companies that it purchased. Are you proud of your work at that company?We created numerous companies like Staples, which are American success stories employing thousands of people.
- The rhetoric from some Republicans towards immigrants from Mexico has been quite harsh. Can you distance yourself from such comments?I take a level-headed approach to this issue. It's unfortunate that certain people have decided to use inflammatory rhetoric. Those statements don't represent my views at all.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Republican Convention?I will address the long-term danger that liberalism has to create an ossified, uncreative society. I will also emphasize the danger to our individual and collective rights that is inherent Obama's philosophy.
- 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.
- It has now been four years since the financial crisis plunged this country into a steep recession. Do you attribute current economic conditions more to Obama or to Bush?Obama has completely failed to energize our economy. His failed stimulus package and reliance on monetary easing have contributed greatly to our stagnation. On the other hand, I will add 10 million jobs in my first Administration.
- Be perfectly honest. How do you like Barack Obama as a person?Barack is a decent guy. Our personal feelings for each other are not the issue. What's important are our differences of opinion on how to get the American economy moving.
- In the most general terms, what will be your overall campaign strategy against Obama?I will reach out to moderates and conservative Democrats and attempt to build an all-encompassing coalition. It's time that America had a true leader in charge.