# McDonald's endorses the Ohio GOP slate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 30, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887 "2010-10-30T17:22:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/1 "2010-10-30T17:22:08Z")
I guess the management of the local McDonald’s feels it is OK to lean on his minimum wage employees: [McDonalds employees told whom to vote for](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/30/us/politics/30ohio.html?_r=1&ref=mcdonalds_corporation) from the article: WASHINGTON — When workers in a McDonald’s restaurant in Canton, Ohio, opened their paychecks this month, they found a pamphlet urging them to vote for the Republican candidates for governor, Senate and Congress, or possibly face financial repercussions. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/2 "2010-10-30T17:33:48Z")
People in Canton should avoid that restaurant at all costs. that is how businesses learn. Hurt them in the pocket book. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/3 "2010-10-30T18:08:57Z")
We gotta go to the crappy town where I’m a hero. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/4 "2010-10-30T21:11:39Z")
I don’t have any trouble boycotting McDonalds. The food is inedible. Political coercion of minimum wage workers clinches it for me ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/5 "2010-10-30T21:24:15Z")
Does he really think this will work the way he intends? I would think most of his employees would vote opposite what he wants just to stick one to ‘the man’. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/6 "2010-10-31T01:29:29Z")
Federal election law allows employers to communicate with their employees about voting only on non partisan votes. his actions are illegal. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/7 "2010-10-31T01:40:00Z")
The last time I entered a McDonald’s—which, granted, was a long time ago—I don’t remember seeing too many employees who were old enough to vote. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/8 "2010-10-31T01:47:58Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > The last time I entered a McDonald’s—which, granted, was a long time ago—I don’t remember seeing too many employees who were old enough to vote. The day shift, particularly during the school year, is made up almost entirely of employees that are old enough to vote. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/9 "2010-10-31T04:01:52Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Federal election law allows employers to communicate with their employees about voting only on non partisan votes. his actions are illegal. from this article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer: > **[GOP paycheck politicking gives heartburn to Canton area McDonald's workers](https://www.cleveland.com/open/2010/10/gop_paycheck_politicking_gives.html)** > > The unsigned letter in employees' paychecks endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate John Kasich, Senate candidate Rob Portman, and congressional candidate Jim Renacci. A Renacci campaign flier was also included. IDan Tokaji, associate director of Ohio State University Law School’s election law project, said Siegfried’s communication appears to violate a state law that bans companies from distributing handbills that threaten workplace repercussions if particular candidates aren’t elected. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2010, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/10 "2010-10-31T18:21:40Z")
So it is illegal from state and federal laws. Seems pretty clear. I hope they have to answer for it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/11 "2010-11-01T01:31:51Z")
Make him eat his own food, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-endorses-the-ohio-gop-slate/558887/12 "2010-11-01T15:44:32Z")
I recall from high-school U.S. history, in [1896,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1896_U.S._presidential_election) when the Republican William McKinley faced the Democrat (and free-silver fanatic) William Jennings Bryan, factory owners were telling their workers that if Bryan won, they need not bother showing up for work the next day. It’s a venerable American tradition.