[stephen_g]

That doesn’t make any sense though. Why would Apple just create millions of jobs that they don’t require?

This is the key mistake people make when they say that tax cuts will create jobs, or minimum wages will cost employment. Companies try to be efficient, and therefore don’t create jobs they don’t need, and don’t get rid of jobs they do need if wages go up. That’s why there is pretty much zero statistical correlation between tax cuts and employment, or wage price and employment.

Apple will create jobs if their operations require them - they’re not going to make up busywork out of the goodness of their hearts.

[prostoalex]

Let’s not forget that US-based competitors are getting the very same tax cut, while foreign-based competitors likely had more favorable tax environment to boot. Creating the jobs one doesn’t need by one player increases that player’s costs and affects margins long-term, meanwhile competitors who did nothing can simply lower their prices.

[SapphireSun]

Exactly right. Why would a for-profit company work to improve the lives of the population that birthed them? I'm merely making the point that we can do better than this.

[stephen_g]

I think companies should pay their fair share of tax, comply with stringent labour, environmental and other regulations (high minimum wage, decent holidays, humane limits on work hours per week etc.), even donating part of their profits to charity would be cool.

But you can’t expect companies to randomly create new jobs just for the sake of making jobs (because they have a bit of spare cash)... It just doesn’t make sense.