Campaign Trail Results: Game #616098
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:
CarlosParada
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 303 | 64,451,015 | 50.30 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 235 | 62,491,276 | 48.77 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 881,042 | 0.69 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 306,284 | 0.24 |
Visits:
- Ohio:6
- Virginia:5
- Pennsylvania: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?This is an unconscionable violation of civil rights and will certainly lead to racial profiling.
- 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?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 The Defense of Marriage Act should be repealed.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?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 do you think we should do next in regards to Social Security?You know, the projected shortfall that people talk of, we're not even talking about the Trust Fund making a net payout until 2033. Maybe there are some tweaks we can make to the program, but it is fundamentally sound.
- 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 see any need for a United States Institute of Peace?This agency performs valuable research on how to avoid future conflicts. It will pay for itself many times over if it succeeds at that mission.
- 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?Any trade deals should be negotiated with a fair balance between American and Chinese interests. China is not doing enough to protect the rights of their workers, which gives them an unfair advantage in global trade.
- 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.
- What is your opinion on the Tea Party movement?A funny thing happened on January 20, 2009 -- millions of people who supported Bush's deficits suddenly flip-flopped into budget hawks. This group is obviously just a political front for the far right wing of the Republican Party.
- 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 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.
- Will you wear an American flag lapel on your suit as you campaign?It baffles me how someone could be ashamed to display the American flag. It seems a little unpatriotic to me.
- Should military spending be cut to help reduce the deficit? If so, by how much?Compared to our potential adversaries, we spend a colossal amount on our military infrastructure. Certainly any attempt to reduce our deficit should include a few cuts in the military.
- 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.
- Who are the real job creators in this country -- hardworking American citizens or Washington bureaucrats?American small business, obviously. I will be their champion as President.
- 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.
- Mitt Romney was the CEO of Bain Capital for many years. What can you say about his time at that firm?I think this just serves to reinforce how detached and out of touch Romney is from the average working American. This is a man who spends more money maintaining a horse than most people earn in an entire year.
- 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.
- 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.
- Would you support an Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution to protect women's rights?Absolutely I would. We need to reaffirm our collective commitment to this issue.
- 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?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?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.