Campaign Trail Results: Game #833010
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:
- JamesGreen
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 347 | 68,870,373 | 53.47 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 191 | 58,847,962 | 45.69 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 799,820 | 0.62 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 282,934 | 0.22 |
Visits:
- Missouri:12
Answers:
- What is your opinion on the detention center at Guantanamo Bay? Would you consider closing it after the election?I would like to close it, but we need to figure out an alternative way to detain these people.
- 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 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.
- 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 is your position on gay marriage?Gay marriage should be protected at the federal level. The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.
- Should military women serve in combat roles?I will defer to military brass on this question. They should do whatever best protects American interests and the safety of our troops.
- 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.
- In general, do you think bilingual education programs are a good idea?For new immigrants who do not yet speak English, there is a need for some bilingual programs. However, there should be strict time limits on how long students may remain enrolled.
- Should middle school students learn about contraception in health class, or will this simply encourage them to experiment?This is a sensible policy that will reduce teen pregnancies and help our children make informed decisions.
- 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.
- 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.
- Are you satisfied with the provisions within the 2012 Federal Highway Bill that could salvage over two million jobs in the construction industry?Ideally we should be spending much more on our infrastructure. Doing so would increase overall employment and pave the way for future 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.
- 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?Increased diversity is a valid goal for any administration. Students learn better when they are exposed to a variety of perspectives, and colleges should have a right to admit the best mix of students for their campus.
- 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.
- 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.
- Christina Romer -- formerly the Chairperson on your Council of Economic Advisors -- stated in 2009 that unemployment would be less than 6% by 2012 if the stimulus package was enacted. What went wrong, and did the results of the stimulus have any bearing on her resignation?First of all, this had no bearing on her decision to leave the Obama Administration. Secondly, the economy was in much worse shape in early 2009 than anyone realized. Since that time we have repeatedly tried to pass additional stimulus measures and have been thwarted by House Republicans at every opportunity.
- Some liberals say that you have done more to help Wall Street banks than hard-working Americans. Are you open to a more universal program of mortgage write-downs if housing prices continue to decline?We might consider purchasing delinquent mortgages and renting the homes out until a price recovery ensues. This will benefit those who are underwater on a mortgage, and will also stabilize home prices for the larger community.
- 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.
- The 2012 Federal Highway Bill that you signed bars the use of federal funds for red-light traffic cameras. Do you agree with this provision?Of course I agree with this. I am a little uncomfortable with using federal funds for those types of cameras.
- 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 don't think we should jump to any conclusions based on one or two years of data. I'm glad you bring this up though. It's a subject worthy of further study by an official panel.
- 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.