Campaign Trail Results: Game #929616
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:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 332 | 67,766,545 | 52.17 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 206 | 60,999,649 | 46.96 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 833,786 | 0.64 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 289,379 | 0.22 |
Visits:
- North Carolina:4
- Florida:3
- Ohio:2
- Virginia:2
- Missouri:1
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- What can the U.S. do to assist pro-democracy protestors in Russia?We should be making public appeals to Vladimir Putin, and consider trade sanctions if he does not relax the political environment there.
- Do you support a larger fence or even a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration?I think that what we have now is sufficient. There's no need to constantly revisit this issue when the Border Patrol has seen documented success in reducing immigration over the past few 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 The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.
- Should military women serve in combat roles?Separate is inherently unequal. There is nothing preventing women from serving in combat roles.
- Is the United States too reliant on fossil fuels for its energy needs?Yes. We need to combine the use of these sources with further research into solar and wind power.
- 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.
- What do you think we should do next in regards to Social Security?Talking about a bankrupt Social Security program is a right wing scare tactic. We could afford to increase benefits if we really wanted to.
- Michigan was one of the hardest hit states in the recent recession. Do you support higher taxes on foreign vehicles while that auto industry regroups in that state?I think that's a little extreme. I do support measures to assist displaced workers in Michigan as they seek other jobs and education.
- Do you support increased restrictions on handgun ownership?Some limited, sensible regulation is prudent. Overall, the right to own a gun should be protected.
- 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.
- Do you think the Death with Dignity Act in Oregon could be a model for broader federal legislation on the issue?That's ridiculous. Of course not.
- Do you have any comment to make on the performance of Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve?Bernanke has performed admirably given the challenges he has faced.
- 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.
- 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?Students are the future of this country and they need all the help they can get to make it through college, especially considering how much tuition has been increased over the past few years.
- After episodes such as the 'flash crash' in 2010, would you support a small financial transactions tax, with the sole purpose being to target high-frequency trading systems?I'm confident that the Financial Stability Oversight Council, created by the Dodd-Frank bill, will be effective in preventing excessive risk in the financial sector.
- Many people speculate that the Affordable Health Care Act is the first step on the road to socialized medicine. Can you address these concerns?These fears are absolutely unfounded. The increased transparency and accountability of a private insurance marketplace will actually serve to reduce health care costs.
- Elizabeth Warren is currently fighting the good fight in the Massachusetts Senate race. Would you be open to offering her a position in your Administration if she falls short there?She was supposed to be the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Board, remember? Republican obstructionism prevented that. I'm confident that she will do well against Scott Brown in the Massachusetts Senate race.
- 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.
- Do you think Hillary Clinton would make a good Presidential candidate in 2016?Hillary Clinton is a wonderful, talented woman and I wish her all the best if she decides to pursue that course in four years.
- 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?We will attack Mitt Romney relentlessly. He has flip-flopped on key issues and he destroyed thousands of jobs at Bain Capital. He is out of touch with the American people, and he's attacking us for a health care plan that is nearly identical to his own plan in Massachusetts.