Campaign Trail Results: Game #918344

This Game:

  • Year: 2012
  • Player Candidate: Barack Obama
  • Running Mate: Joe Biden
  • Difficulty Level: Normal
  • Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
  • Game Played:
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View overall results, or a specific state:
CandidateElectoral VotesPopular VotesPop. Vote %
---- Mitt Romney29565,148,21950.20
---- Barack Obama24363,453,92048.89
---- Gary Johnson0888,4060.68
---- Jill Stein0297,3950.23

Visits:

  • Pennsylvania:7
  • Iowa:3
  • Wisconsin:2

Answers:

  • Should the government be doing more to stabilize home prices?
    There should be a federal program to cover any shortfall when a homeowner is forced to sell for less than the value of their mortgage.
  • Should the Confederate flag be removed entirely from the South Carolina statehouse grounds?
    The Confederate Flag is a symbol of slavery, racism, and rebellion against the United States. It's abominable that in 2012, any state could consider flying such a symbol.
  • 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.
  • What can the U.S. do to assist pro-democracy protestors in Russia?
    I would encourage Vladimir Putin to continue his efforts to democratize Russia, so that there is less cause for future demonstrations.
  • How long should U.S. troops remain in Afghanistan?
    The U.S. presence should be scaled down to the minimum necessary to prevent a Taliban takeover. Hopefully we can withdraw all of our troops within a couple of years.
  • What is your position on gay marriage?
    Gay marriage should be protected at the federal level. The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.
  • 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.
  • 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?
    There should be a public insurance company offering health care to all Americans. Private insurers are simply too greedy and too likely to turn down people with pre-existing health conditions.
  • Do you have any comment to make on the performance of Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve?
    I'm a little disappointed with the overly cautious stance Bernanke has taken towards interest rates and other programs. By raising the inflation target we could reduce the burden of our private and public debt and spark a more vigorous recovery.
  • Should Angela Merkel be doing more to preserve to Euro as the European Union's common currency?
    What's happening now in Europe is criminal. The working class is being punished to fulfill the avarice of huge, multinational banks. Germany should be doing much more to assist Greece, Italy, and Spain before it is too late.
  • Apple's use of cheap, Chinese labor via Foxconn has increased the visibility of labor conditions in that country. Do you think that China competes unfairly with the U.S. by denying basic rights to its workers?
    The U.S.-China relationship has destroyed middle class jobs for close to three decades. We need drastic changes including more protection for American manufacturing.
  • 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?
    I think anyone who has managed money can tell you there is a place for U.S. Treasuries in any professional portfolio. Allowing the Social Security fund to invest in other securities opens a huge number of potential problems and conflicts of interest.
  • 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?
    $4 billion barely puts a dent in the size of the deficit. If we made a serious attempt to cut the size of the military our savings would be vastly greater.
  • What is your opinion on the Occupy Wall Street movement?
    I'm sympathetic to some of their demands, but perhaps there are better ways for them to get their point across.
  • 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?
    This is a worthy program and I have no problem with the amount of money that is allocated to it.
  • Some theorists have suggested that the government create guaranteed jobs at the federal minimum wage, to help support the labor market. Is this something that you would consider?
    If we created jobs like this at a set minimum wage, it would benefit everyone. Private sector wages would increase and economic insecurity would be greatly mitigated for millions of people.
  • 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?
    I am 100% behind this idea.
  • What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Democratic Convention?
    I will talk at great length about how we've drifted from the tradition of liberalism that was built by the likes of Roosevelt, Johnson, and Humphrey. I will reaffirm my commitment to this vision in my second term.
  • 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.
  • Joe Biden made what can only be described as a gaffe on the campaign trail today. What are your comments?
    What can you say? We've all been out here for weeks with very little sleep. No one knows more about foreign policy than Joe Biden, so I'm sure it was just a slip of the tongue.
  • What is your guiding foreign policy philosophy?
    Human Rights -- It's past time that we cut allegiances with dictators like the House of Saud and truly lived up to our ideals. I will only support or give aid to democratically elected leaders.
  • 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.
  • Some on the left thought that you were not very vigorous in your opposition to the anti-union policies of Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin. What do you have to say about this?
    Of course I am opposed to the policies of Scott Walker. The only reason I wasn't in Wisconsin on the day of his recall election was that I needed to campaign in more competitive states to maximize our chances of winning this fall.