Campaign Trail Results: Game #1298124
Play The Campaign Trail
This Game:
- Year: 2012
- Player Candidate: Mitt Romney
- Running Mate: Paul Ryan
- Difficulty Level: Impossible
- Winner Take All Mode?: Yes
- Game Played:
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 347 | 68,908,615 | 53.64 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 191 | 58,279,701 | 45.36 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 943,438 | 0.73 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 341,095 | 0.27 |
Visits:
- Ohio:3
- Florida:2
- Iowa:2
- North Carolina:2
- Virginia:2
- New Hampshire:1
Answers:
- 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 This law goes further than federal laws and even if constitutional, should be repealed.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?That's a great question. It's hard to speculate on what might have been, but it at time it seemed clear that Mubarak had to go.
- How do you view the practice of hydraulic fracturing (aka 'fracking') in the Dakotas and elsewhere?It would be irresponsible of me to speculate on this practice without a thorough understanding of the facts. One of the first things I will do after the election is to establish a bipartisan commission to fully investigate this issue, and to present its recommendations.
- 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?Collective bargaining in the public sector is one of the primary contributors to our exploding state deficits, which must eventually be subsidized by the federal government. I agree that the practice should end.
- Should the United States contribute funds to help stabilize the European Union's sovereign debt problems, in order to prevent a possible debt contagion?There's no way that the United States should be shipping money overseas to support a European-model welfare state. That would be the height of lunacy.
- Would you support posting active U.S. Army troops on the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent illegal immigration and drug smuggling?Those decisions, you know, I think our military is a fine force and that's not necessarily the best use of its resources.
- What is your position on gay marriage?Under no circumstances should the sacred institution of marriage be undermined. The Defense of Marriage Act was passed specifially to address this issue.
- 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.
- We have now had 10 years to analyze the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act. Do you think it is time for a change?There is a danger of 'teaching to the test'. We do need some testing in place, but to do so on an annual basis is too frequent and interferes with good educational practice.
- What is your opinion on directing some Department of Education funding towards a school voucher program?This is a good idea and it should be expanded.
- 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?This program will be a disaster. Not only is it an unconstitutional violation of personal freedom, but it will lead to a decline in American health care and will prove to be financially impossible to maintain without socializing the health care system.
- Would you support a Constitutional Amendment to overturn some provisions of the Citizens United ruling, affecting campaign finance by PAC's?Absolutely not. The right to disseminate one's political viewpoints freely is central to American democracy.
- 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.
- Should American workers have the right to invest their Social Security withholdings in private accounts?If practical I would support a program that allows younger workers to invest a certain portion of their Social Security taxes into a different program.
- What is your opinion on the Tea Party movement?The Tea Party is a positive, invigorating force in American politics. They are drawing badly needed attention to our government deficits.
- Should federal fuel taxes be slightly increased (they have been the same since 1993) to avoid another catastrophe like the Minnesota bridge collapse of 2007?There are better ways of funding our federal highway projects than with another increase to the gas tax, especially given how much prices have risen in the past few years.
- Should large banks like Chase, Citibank, and Bank of America be broken up to reduce the risk of another financial crisis?Too big to fail is too big to exist. It's pathetic just how much our representatives have allowed themselves to be bought by financial institutions.
- What is the best way to make college more affordable for young people?Student loans should be disbursed with regard to a student's major and grade point average. This would encourage students to choose productive majors and would decrease the debt burden for graduates later in life.
- 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 opposed to this idea. The last thing we need to right now is create new forms of taxation.
- In the past you have expressed varying opinions about abortion. Can you reassure the evangelical Christian movement that you are 100% pro-life in all circumstances?We have to be realistic. I am pro-life in most cases, but we also need exceptions for cases of rape and incest. I do agree, however, that taxpayers should never be forced to finance this practice.
- Scott Brown is currently fighting the good fight in the Massachusetts Senate race. Would you be open to offering him a position in your Administration if he falls short there?I'm not sure about that to be honest. Scott Brown is a bit moderate for the kind of Republican I envision having in my cabinet. We'd rather have staunch, reliable conservatives on the team.
- What will be the overriding theme of your nomination speech at the Republican Convention?I will emphasize the point that the Republican Party has a big tent. We are the party for anyone who tries to work hard and get ahead in 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.
- Do you have any plans to offer Sarah Palin a role in your Administration?Sarah Palin is a very talented, authentic woman. I'm sure we could find a place for her in a Romney Administration.
- In the most general terms, what will be your overall campaign strategy against Obama?We will attack Barack Obama relentlessly. He has gone back on his pledge to clean up our political system, he has destroyed hundreds of thousands of jobs in his first term, his values are out of touch with those of most Americans, and his health care reform is disastrous.