# McDonald's franchise urges employees to vote Republican **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 29, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817 "2010-10-29T20:50:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/21 "2010-10-30T02:31:52Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > …using almost exactly the same language and fear-mongering (“Vote for Canidate X, or evil scum-sucking business owners will eliminate your job!”) as the case in the OP. You have to remember the long standing tradition of suspicion for corporate capitalism. Outdated, of course, in our modern day. An abiding devotion to its employees is the very touchstone of modern American capitalism. They simply haven’t adjusted to these new times, when corporate America has a human face. It looks a lot like Karl Rove’s: feral, yet doughy, a face made for meetings. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/22 "2010-10-30T02:41:50Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > But let’s not pretend other groups/organiztions don’t do the exact same thing. I routinely see it on the Union bulletin boards at the various companies I service in the greater St. Louis Metro area, using almost exactly the same language and fear-mongering (“Vote for Canidate X, or evil scum-sucking business owners will eliminate your job!”) as the case in the OP. There is a big difference between more or less empty political scare mongering which is par for the course during any election and an actual threat coming directly from the boss. Because the latter can actually make good on his promises, see ? OTOH, what can a union do to you, revoke the membership you don’t have ? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/23 "2010-10-30T02:58:13Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > an organization with…a history of violence Care to support that one. by statistics rather than anecdotal evidence? How many years back do you have to go to find eleven people killed by a union? BP and Halliburton killed that many workers with one business decision earlier this year. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/24 "2010-10-30T03:57:25Z")
[The AP has picked up the story now](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OHIO_ELECTION_MCDONALDS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-10-29-22-46-50). Seems it wasn’t just a brief letter containing veiled threats, as > [@](#): > > A Renacci campaign flier was also included. To Paul Siegfried: Tthe problem isn’t that anyone was offended, really. The problem is that you attempted to repress and oppress your employees. What a piece of shit this guy is. If I hadn’t already been boycotting McDonald’s for the past 20 years, I’d at least start boycotting _his_ McDonald’s. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/25 "2010-10-30T04:08:31Z")
Been boycotting Coors for near forty years. Of course, didn’t drink that swill before I boycotted, but its the principle of the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/26 "2010-10-30T04:29:25Z")
Unions are not employers and that whole hijack is just irrelevant sniveling. What do rightes have against people who work for a living anyway? It does not appear that this is a corporate wide policy, but something that one ignoramus, teabagger, franchise owner did. Is there any doubt that if he’d urged them to vote Democratic, the right wing media would be treating it like it was the 3D sequel to 9/11? ---
**Author:** ![InterestedObserver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@InterestedObserver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InterestedObserver)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/27 "2010-10-30T04:50:00Z")
This is a microcosm of what is going on nationwide, imo. US companies are sitting on almost 1 trillion in cash and short-term investments and rather than put it towards hiring or raises for employees (which would stimulate consumer demand and speed the economic recovery) they are hoarding it. So are the individual rich who’ve gotten 80% of the Bush tax cuts. My personal theory, they are doing everything they can to ensure the economy continues to suck to help the Republicans get elected (both now and in 2012) because they know what side their bread is buttered on. They want to go on making record profits, outsourcing jobs, getting tax breaks for doing so, and being as unregulated as possible. It is as much a form of extortion as what this owner is doing…vote for what benefits ME and I might toss you a few crumbs. It would be one thing if these giant corporations (or even this small business owner, whom I seriously doubt is going broke due to Democratic policies) were actually HURTING, being driven to the brink of insolvency by burdensome taxes and/or regulations, but they aren’t…they are thriving and asking that we give them even MORE! :smack: I grow weary of the union bashing…people fought and died for the right to unionize and the rights unions helped establish in this country (fair pay, benefits, a 40 hr work week, safe working conditions, the right to not be gunned down by your boss’s thugs if you rocked the boat, etc…things we take for granted even as we rail against the evil unions). :rolleyes: Hey, THEY band together to work for their own best interests, but when WE do it, gaining a fraction of the power they have, it’s something bad. ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/28 "2010-10-30T06:02:09Z")
> [@diogenes the cynic](#): > > is there any doubt that if he’d urged them to vote democratic, the right wing media would be treating it like it was the 3d sequel to 9/11? socialists trying to squash freedom!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/29 "2010-10-30T06:58:33Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Well, I guess we all know now that Mayor McCheese belongs to the party of Lincoln. McCheese has been mayor for quite some time. Don’t they have term limits in Ronald McDonald Land? ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/30 "2010-10-30T07:32:00Z")
Heh when I worked in Reno every year we would get a letter that would basically say: “Though we’d never TELL an employee who to vote for here are the people you should vote for _List of our boss’s cronies and political allies_ Anyone else is likely to bring about the end times. But once again we’re not telling you who to vote for. Have a great time on election day!” I always thought those letters were hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/31 "2010-10-30T08:07:40Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Riiiiight. Because an organization with deep pockets, a history of violence, and a vested interest in having their members behave and vote a certain way have absolutely zero similarity to the case in the OP. Enough of what you think of robber barons and the Pinkertons, how do you fell about unions? ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/32 "2010-10-30T13:34:51Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Is there any doubt that if he’d urged them to vote Democratic, the right wing media would be treating it like it was the 3D sequel to 9/11? It might be worth doing just to watch Glenn Beck’s head asplode. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/33 "2010-10-30T13:51:21Z")
Since when did McDonalds’ employees become unionized? The objection that “unions do it too” is at best hypothetical, since to my knowledge none of them are in any union. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/34 "2010-10-30T16:05:38Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > Point of order: how would the employer in this case even know who (of his employees) had voted for whom? And thus retaliate by withholding pay raises, benefits, or even firing someone? :rolleyes: If the PUbbies win these races (so implies the employer) the employees will be able to anticipate an economic climate that will be conducive to increases in wages and benefits. And in such an economic climate (the employer further implies), such increases will occur. The employer also implies the contrapositive outcomes, both economically and pay-and-benefits-wise, should Democrats win the offices. The employer is using the resources of his business to share with his employees how he sees their interests as lying. There may be legal ways for an employer in Ohio to do this. Evidently it’s not clear to the people who enforce such laws that this employer managed to find one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/35 "2010-10-30T16:35:56Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > :rolleyes: If the PUbbies win these races (so implies the employer) the employees will be able to anticipate an economic climate that will be conducive to increases in wages and benefits. And in such an economic climate (the employer further implies), such increases will occur. > > The employer also implies the contrapositive outcomes, both economically and pay-and-benefits-wise, should Democrats win the offices. The employer is using the resources of his business to share with his employees how he sees their interests as lying. > > There may be legal ways for an employer in Ohio to do this. Evidently it’s not clear to the people who enforce such laws that this employer managed to find one of them. [nitpick] The letter didn’t _imply_ anything. It stated the possible positive and negative outcomes explicitly. [/nitpick] ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/36 "2010-10-30T19:07:20Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Been boycotting Coors for near forty years. Of course, didn’t drink that swill before I boycotted, but its the principle of the thing. Some boycotts are easier than others. I’ve long been grateful to Blockbuster and Domino’s Pizza for sucking as bad as they do. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/37 "2010-10-30T19:10:29Z")
Doesn’t matter, rich guys get busted, they only feed their lawyers. Besides which, two bits says he’ll call such a defense a corporate matter, and put it on McDonald’s bill, and claim some tax write off as well. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/38 "2010-10-30T19:16:13Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Because it violates an entire BOATLOAD of Ohio Election Laws. And the State’s Attorney is already all over it. He’s in real trouble and backpedaling pretty quickly. Good luck to him escaping a major fine and keeping his franchises. > > In all, an amateurish move and he’ll pay the price for it. Well, if it’s illegal it’s illegal. I think it’s obnoxious, but I don’t have a moral problem with it. It doesn’t seem any different than if the McDonald’s owner were to buy time for a TV ad. This is just a smaller audience. We have secret ballots for a reason. ---
**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, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/39 "2010-10-30T19:31:40Z")
Federal election law allows employers to communicate with employees about voting on non partisan issues only. The communication was against the law and I hope they get nailed. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817/40 "2010-10-30T21:05:43Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Well, if it’s illegal it’s illegal. I think it’s obnoxious, but I don’t have a moral problem with it. It doesn’t seem any different than if the McDonald’s owner were to buy time for a TV ad. This is just a smaller audience. We have secret ballots for a reason. Wow, srsly? You don’t have a problem with an employer threatening the livelihoods of his workers if they don’t vote the way he wants them to vote? **Seriously**? WTF is wrong with you? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcdonalds-franchise-urges-employees-to-vote-republican/558817.md?page=3)