# 'If Obama wins, you're fired!' **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 10, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326 "2012-10-10T16:47:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/1 "2012-10-10T16:47:10Z")
[So says Westgate Resorts owner David Siegel](http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/10/14342737-if-obama-is-re-elected-youll-be-fired-ceo-tells-workers?lite). > [@](#): > > “If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, as our current President plans, I will have no choice but to reduce the size of this company,” he wrote. “Rather than grow this company I will be forced to cut back. This means fewer jobs, less benefits and certainly less opportunity for everyone.” > > In a version of Romney’s “47 percent” remarks, Siegel added that “people like me who made all the right decisions and invested in themselves are being forced to bail out all the people who didn’t. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed 42 years of my life for.” > > [The Siegels] became symbols of outsized spending, debt and real estate in America. > > But when the company started buckling under $1 billion in debt during the crisis, the Siegels’ home went into foreclosure and was put up for sale. They cut back on the jet, took the kids out of private school and gave up some of their staff. So… People are irresponsible for overspending, but it’s OK that he overspent building the largest house in the U.S. and then went into foreclosure. :dubious: Question: Is it legal to, in effect, order his employees to vote the way he wants, under the threat of termination? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/2 "2012-10-10T17:15:41Z")
[Doing this in the pit already.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=668247) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/3 "2012-10-10T17:33:00Z")
Ah. I rarely go to The Pit. Well… No naughty language in this thread yet. (That’s not an invitation!) ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/4 "2012-10-10T17:49:42Z")
A client of mine claims that his CEO said that if Obama is elected, they won’t have health insurance. :rolleyes: The stupid crap people pull for politics amazes me. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/5 "2012-10-10T17:52:24Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Well… No naughty language in this thread yet. Poop! ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/6 "2012-10-10T17:54:22Z")
> [@Brynda](#): > > A client of mine claims that his CEO said that if Obama is elected, they won’t have health insurance. :rolleyes: The stupid crap people pull for politics amazes me. There are a number of companies that have decided to stop offering insurance as a benefit to some or all employees as a result of Obamacare. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/7 "2012-10-10T17:59:44Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > There are a number of companies that have decided to stop offering insurance as a benefit to some or all employees as a result of Obamacare. So Obamacare has increased their profitability then. I knew you’d come over to the light side some day. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/8 "2012-10-10T18:01:35Z")
Papa Johns apparently threatened to increase prices due to Obamacare. I’m not sure if they actually have, however, I do know that this has decreased their revenue by around $100 so far. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/9 "2012-10-10T18:25:13Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Papa Johns apparently threatened to increase prices due to Obamacare. Friends were over a few weeks ago, and one of them mentioned that. He said: > [@a friend](#): > > Papa John’s said they’d have to raise their prices 27 cents. I’m like, ‘Go ahead! Heck, raise it a dollar!’ It’s not that much extra to pay, to make sure everyone gets health care. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/10 "2012-10-10T18:26:54Z")
This hit my facebook feed today: Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, et al.) is considering cutting hours so that it has fewer full-time employees. [http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121010/BUSINESS/121019964/1005](http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121010/BUSINESS/121019964/1005) Their reasoning is Obamacare. But this is a company that _already_ offers health care plans for its full time employees, so how will Obamacare increase their costs? Companies are always looking for ways to cut benefits by reclassifying workers as “part time,” a move which has everything to do with profitability and nothing to do with legislation that forces them to provide a benefit that they’re already providing. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/11 "2012-10-11T01:23:08Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > There are a number of companies that have decided to stop offering insurance as a benefit to some or all employees as a result of Obamacare. It seems ludicrous to me that companies provided health insurance to employees in the first place. I don’t think that is the case anywhere else in the developed world. If you want health insurance\* you shop around and buy it yourself. Just like with car insurance or home and contents insurance. - You generally don’t need to have health insurance in most modern countries. In Australia for example everyone is covered for basic healthcare, but if you want more lavish treatment like a private hospital room you can buy private health insurance that will cover you for that. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/12 "2012-10-11T01:25:33Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > This hit my facebook feed today: Darden Restaurants (Red Lobster, Olive Garden, et al.) is considering cutting hours so that it has fewer full-time employees. > > [http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121010/BUSINESS/121019964/1005](http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20121010/BUSINESS/121019964/1005) > > Their reasoning is Obamacare. But this is a company that _already_ offers health care plans for its full time employees, so how will Obamacare increase their costs? > > Companies are always looking for ways to cut benefits by reclassifying workers as “part time,” a move which has everything to do with profitability and nothing to do with legislation that forces them to provide a benefit that they’re already providing. It’s not just that. Really, they are playing politics. Companies that rely on customers for their revenue are very foolish to start making political statements. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/13 "2012-10-11T02:09:11Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Question: Is it legal to, in effect, order his employees to vote the way he wants, under the threat of termination? I can’t say as to the exact legality, but voting is absolutely private. There’s no way an employer can check whether you’re telling the truth about who you voted for. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/14 "2012-10-11T03:49:02Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > I can’t say as to the exact legality, but voting is absolutely private. There’s no way an employer can check whether you’re telling the truth about who you voted for. What, you can’t fill out an absentee ballot in front of your boss? You can’t whip out your cell phone in the voting booth and film yourself pulling the lever? ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/15 "2012-10-11T04:56:36Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > What, you can’t fill out an absentee ballot in front of your boss? You can’t whip out your cell phone in the voting booth and film yourself pulling the lever? Not much can realistically be done about the former, although you could go back to your clerk’s office after putting on a show of voting for Romney for your boss, and say you spoiled your ballot and would like to request a new one and then vote for Obama, so unless you do it late in the day on election day, it’s not PROOF that you voted for Romney. As for the latter, in many if not all states, the second is definitely illegal, and is one of very few ways in Michigan to get your vote thrown out by the election workers if they catch you doing it. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/16 "2012-10-11T11:38:17Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > It seems ludicrous to me that companies provided health insurance to employees in the first place. > > I don’t think that is the case anywhere else in the developed world. If you want health insurance\* you shop around and buy it yourself. Just like with car insurance or home and contents insurance. > > - You generally don’t need to have health insurance in most modern countries. In Australia for example everyone is covered for basic healthcare, but if you want more lavish treatment like a private hospital room you can buy private health insurance that will cover you for that. Don’t companies in Australia offer private healthcare as a perk? They certainly do in the UK, and of course we have the NHS (for now, at least). My employer provides BUPA health insurance for me (and, on a limited basis, my wife). Obviously this counts as a taxable benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/17 "2012-10-11T14:11:27Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Don’t companies in Australia offer private healthcare as a perk? They certainly do in the UK, and of course we have the NHS (for now, at least). My employer provides BUPA health insurance for me (and, on a limited basis, my wife). Obviously this counts as a taxable benefit. Maybe, but none that I have worked for. What I was thinking is strange is that many Americans seem to get their health insurance from their employers. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/18 "2012-10-11T15:27:45Z")
A timeshare scam artist will go out of business if Obama is reelected? Geez, the reelection campaign ought to be using that in an ad. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/19 "2012-10-11T15:51:37Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > There are a number of companies that have decided to stop offering insurance as a benefit to some or all employees as a result of Obamacare. Why? The could have stopped offering insurance last year or the year before with no penalty, but now that they will be fined for not offering insurance they stop? What’s the rationale? ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326/20 "2012-10-11T16:15:28Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > But this is a company that _already_ offers health care plans for its full time employees, so how will Obamacare increase their costs? In the future, insurance companies will be required to cover pre-existing conditions, and forbidden to have caps on coverage. So they are raising premiums to cover the new costs. There ain’t no free lunch. > [@L. G. Butts](#): > > Why? The could have stopped offering insurance last year or the year before with no penalty, but now that they will be fined for not offering insurance they stop? What’s the rationale? They expect the fine to be cheaper than the insurance premiums. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-obama-wins-youre-fired/637326.md?page=2)