Campaign Trail Results: Game #952429
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Barack Obama
- Running Mate: Joe Biden
- Difficulty Level: Hard
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 347 | 66,445,181 | 51.41 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 191 | 61,592,276 | 47.65 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 865,411 | 0.67 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 346,175 | 0.27 |
Visits:
- Florida:6
- North Carolina:3
- Ohio:2
- Virginia:1
Answers:
- Do you believe the federal government is doing enough to enforce laws against employing illegal immigrants?E-Verify is a good start, but too many companies don't use it. It should be mandatory for any employer hiring more than a few employees.
- 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 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 The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.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?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.
- What is your opinion on directing some Department of Education funding towards a school voucher program?This has the potential to develop into another out-of-control federal program. It's best not to go down that road.
- 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?Absolutely. We need to create an environment where American products can compete fairly with foreign imports.
- 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.
- Would you support a Constitutional Amendment to overturn some provisions of the Citizens United ruling, affecting campaign finance by PAC's?Perhaps not a Constitutional Amendment. These should be reserved for the most serious of issues. I think we can investigate maybe other ways to prevent money from having an undue influence in politics.
- The maximum duration of unemployment insurance, with all extensions factored in, has been reduced from 99 weeks. Do you think this is appropriate in the current economic climate?This is entirely appropriate for an economy recovering from the worst recession since the 1930s. Additionally, there have been repeated jobs proposals in Congress, all of which have been sabotaged by Republican obstructionism.
- 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.
- 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?This is the wrong way to go about balancing the budget. I oppose these cuts.
- 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.
- Are you satisfied with the provisions within the 2012 Federal Highway Bill that could salvage over two million jobs in the construction industry?We should monitor these expenditures very closely to make sure that they are being allocated properly. There is always the chance of cronyism and misappropriation when there is spending of this magnitude.
- How much attack advertising will your campaign use?I will run an uplifting, positive campaign focusing on the issues that concern the American people. I trust that they will see through any petty, unfounded attacks that our opponents come up with.
- 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.
- The most recent poll showed you slipping by a couple of percentage points. Are you planning on making any changes in your campaign to address this?We don't pay attention to things like polls and focus groups. We just go out every day and present our message to the American people. Everything else will take care of itself.
- What is the best way to make college more affordable for young people?If we had more federal funding for student loans and grants, it would make college more accessible to underprivileged students. I also support increased grants to the states to support their state university systems.
- Would you consider military action in Syria if the impasse between Bashar Assad and the rebels there continues?I will do what is necessary to preserve freedom and human rights in Syria. It's impossible to say whether that means committing the U.S. military or not at this point.
- 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.
- 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.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Democratic Convention?I will give an honest speech about the challenges I was facing in 2009, what I did to address them, what I tried to do that was blocked by Republican obstructionism, and what jobs policies I will continue to push for in my second term.
- Be perfectly honest. How do you like Mitt Romney as a person?Mitt Romney is a great American success story. His efforts over the years have been admirable. I just don't think he has the best policies in mind for America.
- 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 Romney?I will promise a fresh start in overcoming the gridlock in Washington. In my second term I will reach out to moderates and sensible Republicans to find common, pragmatic solutions to our most pressing issues.