Campaign Trail Results: Game #972093
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Barack Obama
- Running Mate: Joe Biden
- 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 | 303 | 65,199,471 | 50.36 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 235 | 63,021,062 | 48.67 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 899,770 | 0.69 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 357,829 | 0.28 |
Visits:
- North Carolina:5
- Florida:4
- Ohio:3
Answers:
- What is your opinion on the detention center at Guantanamo Bay? Would you consider closing it after the election?The center at Guantanamo should definitely be closed. The only thing preventing it so far is obstructionism from the Republican Congress. Furthermore, there is no evidence that half of these detainees are even terrorists.
- 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?The proper authority for enforcement rests with the federal government. This law goes further than federal laws and even if constitutional, should be repealed.
- Should the United States have been so quick to drop its support for Hosni Mubarak in 2011, given recent events in Egypt?Decades of meddling by the U.S. has created these unstable situations in the Middle East. We should have withheld our support for Mubarak when he first took office, instead of giving him billions in military aid.
- 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 The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.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?Separate is inherently unequal. There is nothing preventing women from serving in combat roles.
- 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.
- Will you launch an air campaign against Iranian nuclear sites if diplomatic negotiations continue to yield minimal results?Of course I will always act in the best interests of the United States. We are keeping all options on the table, but it's irresponsible at this point to go into further details.
- Would it help our economy if government employment was increased? Or would this divert valuable resources from the private sector?I think it's a bad thing that overall government employment has dropped during the recession. This continues to be one the biggest obstacles to a stronger recovery.
- 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?It is not a good idea to cut the size of the government in the midst of a recession. Shrinking payrolls at the state level have served to drag down our most recent recovery.
- Do you think reduced penalties and increased treatment for drug users would help reduce the flow of drugs from Latin America?Perhaps there is a role for this, but our primary focus should be on targeting the cartels overseas and on providing military and economic support to any government that will assist us in that endeavor.
- 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?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.
- 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.
- 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 oil companies have at the highest levels of government.
- 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.
- You have expressed support for increasing taxes on the rich to address our budget shortfall. However, almost half of Americans currently pay no income taxes. Are you sure this is a good idea?Yes I think it's a good idea. Our working class and middle class taxpayers have been crushed by the past few years of subpar economic performance, which was caused of course by the Bush Administration.
- 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?Let's hope it doesn't come to that. She is a brilliant, talented woman and no matter what happens, there will always be a place for her in government.
- 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.
- Be perfectly honest. How do you like Mitt Romney as a person?I wish Mitt all the best in life as soon as he loses this election. He seems like a great guy once you get away from all of this politicking.
- 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?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.