Campaign Trail Results: Game #738150
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:
lookattheflowers414
View overall results, or a specific state:
| Candidate | Electoral Votes | Popular Votes | Pop. Vote % |
|---|---|---|---|
| ---- Barack Obama | 422 | 73,722,415 | 57.53 |
| ---- Mitt Romney | 116 | 53,376,844 | 41.65 |
| ---- Gary Johnson | 0 | 755,878 | 0.59 |
| ---- Jill Stein | 0 | 292,656 | 0.23 |
Visits:
- Louisiana:9
- Mississippi:2
- South Carolina:1
Answers:
- Some observers have argued that an embargo of Cuba makes little sense in a post Cold War environment. What do you think?I dislike Fidel Castro as much as anyone. We should keep the embargo but also look for other ways to democratize that country.
- 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.
- Does it make sense to dispose our nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada?As a sovereign state, Nevada has every right to reject this proposal. Nobody wants to live next to a toxic nuclear waste site.
- What is your position on gay marriage?I think civil unions are an acceptable compromise for the majority of mainstream Americans.
- 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.
- 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?This idea was a failure from day one. Federal education funds are needed the most in low-income districts which have disproportionately suffered from this legislation.
- 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.
- Should middle school students learn about contraception in health class, or will this simply encourage them to experiment?That doesn't sound like a good idea to me. Perhaps with high schoolers it makes more sense to, you know, delve into some of those details.
- 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.
- Should the DEA prosecute medicinal marijuana growers in states where that practice has been legalized?We might disagree with these laws, but it is the responsibility of the DEA to uphold them. I do think we can look into reducing the penalties, which should decrease the strain on our prisons and allow people a second chance to lead productive lives.
- Do you see any need for a United States Institute of Peace?Can you name a single thing this agency has done? This just another example of how federal money is wasted on arcane projects in a time of fiscal crisis.
- 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.
- 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?I don't see a problem with a small increase. We should be encouraging other forms of transportation, and on top of that our highways are woefully underfunded.
- 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.
- What actions do you support to mitigate the effects of climate change?We should have more laws and regulations to reduce our total carbon emissions. Sensible next steps include some combination of a cap-and-trade program domestically, as well as international agreements with other nations.
- Federal funding for Community Health Centers has more than doubled in the past ten years to over $2 billion annually. Is this an example of out of control government spending?We need much greater spending to protect our most vulnerable citizens, but the least we can do is to make sure that existing programs like this one are protected from right-wing demagogues.
- 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.
- 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?There are better ways to help the poor among us.
- Your former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is currently engaged in a high-profile struggle with the Chicago Teachers Union. Do you hope that he succeeds?This is a local issue that Chicago needs to figure out. It's probably best for me not to comment on this.
- 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?I think there are better and more practical steps we can take to ensure women's equality. Access to more affordable child care would be a good start, for instance.
- Joe Biden made what can only be described as a gaffe on the campaign trail today. What are your comments?What can you say? We've all been out here for weeks with very little sleep. No one knows more about foreign policy than Joe Biden, so I'm sure it was just a slip of the tongue.
- 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.