Apple Has Spent Record $2.2 Million Lobbying Trump Administration Over Past Three Months

[laz232]

Report Apple lobbying expenditure 1998-present:

https://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/clientsum.php?id=D000021754

Was 4.5M USD in 2015, but it makes sense to use more money at the start of a whole new administration.

Some of these issues may be based on identity politics - others are clearly profit motivated - and some are both, a few may even be actual things that TC cares about.*

For example immigration: great identity politics issue whilst at the same time potential for more H1B visas for (cheap) foreign engineers. Think of all the hipsters that "like" Apple's public stance - it makes it groupthink acceptable to wear those white headphones (now available as AirPods) - as you're "sticking it to the man!"

Environment: identity politics and there are potentially great tax benefits for appearing to do "green" things. By that I mean data center renewables subsidies - too bad the PCs and phones are becoming non-upgradable, non-user-repairable - but there's good profit in that

Note: am not a US citizen so I don't care about the US policy and yes I work on Apple products and also enjoy using them, but have to point out the ***** hardon that everyone seems to have for Apple and Trump to sell headlines. This is just business as usual for the government, the mainstream media and Apple!

*However, based on what I have seen of TC, he is actually not particularly principled nor passionate - he talks a big game about privacy (or new exciting products) etc, but looking beyond the headlines it's clear that he is concerned about privacy than SJ was and Apple has been working closer and closer with governments behind the scenes, despite claiming to take a "firm stance for privacy".

 

[9081094]

Every time I see photo's of Cook it reminds me of this:

 

[Precision Gem]

Are you sure? Trump most likely stealing money from big corporations like Apple wonder why he is hiding his tax returns and wanting to pardon his family?
[doublepost=1500685451][/doublepost]


Russian Technology to be more accurate.

Can you explain how? So far it seems no one can actually explain how Trump and Russia worked together. After almost a year of investigation, no evidence just the media daily talking about it in an attempt to make an excuse why their girl Hilary lost.

 

[Zaqfalcon]

​

​

Who farted?

 

[blacktape242]

Just guessing here… maybe government feels it is responsible for subsidizing external health care so that in theory more Americans are covered. Just a guess. I hope it makes sense.

I get ya. Just don’t think the govt should be in the business of health care. They have a hard enough time doing most things as it is.

 

[Populism]

Sincere question - if anyone with the legal/regulatory knowledge can answer.

Where exactly is the dividing line between lobbying and bribery.

Genuinely interested.

 

[travelsheep]

Producing Apple products in USA ? Here's 10 bags full of money, I'm sure we can make this idea go away.

 

[WRChris]

More likely the opposite. Who wants their brand endorsed by, or associated with, someone as controversial as Trump? Best to distance yourself.
[doublepost=1500745796][/doublepost]

True. The educated, well-paid, white collar professionals I know don’t respect Trump. Meanwhile, while traveling through Virginia’s backcountry recently, I saw large, handmade Trump! banners in the yards and lots of humble homes and small businesses. Morally, these rural communities are conservative. Philosophically, these people are socialists. As for technology, they can survive without it.

In your drive through, you were able to profile entire populations based on signs?

 

[trainwrecka]

Apple is the opposite of what it wanted to be in the 1984 ad.

 

[magicschoolbus]

The best part of this idiotic posturing is that the struggling American family tends to be black. The Democrats are doing profound economic violence to black America with illegal immigration, and have conned the blacks into mindless lockstep support of the very policy that's hurt them the most. After the War on Drugs and Federal mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines, that is.

Hell, even that moron Richard Spencer, the racist, says — correctly — he believes Americans owe black citizens preference over illegal aliens in employment rights.
[doublepost=1500769435][/doublepost]

He says he pays 40% of his income in taxes. I pay a similar rate. How much more of our money will finally, once and for all satisfy you? I'd like to know so I can decide whether to stick around.

There are many struggling poor white working families in the rust belt with very little upward mobility or job opportunity.

I doubt the Democrats even care about the black vote. It's more expected then them actually caring.

 

[Defthand]

In your drive through, you were able to profile entire populations based on signs?

Of couse not. It’s where some of my relatives hail from and where I’ve spent much time during my life. Regardless, the proliferation of signs is interesting. I can’t recall a similar public exhibit of support for a president, especially an unpopular one.

 

[bbeagle]

Can you explain how? So far it seems no one can actually explain how Trump and Russia worked together. After almost a year of investigation, no evidence just the media daily talking about it in an attempt to make an excuse why their girl Hilary lost.

Trump doesn't want us to investigate at all and said ANY Russian ties were 'fake news'.

And every day we find more and more Trump-Russia ties. So there IS something to this story. It's NOT fake news at all.

It seems SO suspicious the venom that Trump releases regarding anyone trying to find out any information about Russian ties. He's guilty somehow or otherwise he'd fess up and never hide anything. If innocent, his attitude should be 'investigate me all you want, you'll find nothing!' and give any information he has. But he's doing the exact opposite. Even when we find out information, he blames the leakers and we need to go after the leakers. Really? No. It's you, Trump, who is the problem.

Of course, Trump supporters will be blind about this no matter what information comes out. There could be Putin-Trump tapes where Putin promises to manipulate voting machines, doesn't matter, but die-hard Trump supporters will ignore that and scream, 'But.... Hillary'.

The main-stream media just wants to find out the truth is all. Trump is trying to block it every step of the way. Remember when Clinton was investigated regarding Monica Lewinski? Did Clinton fire everyone and call everything fake? No. He issued a few white lies, and was found guilty of the most minor thing (not admitting to cheating on his wife, which is totally legal), which the Republicans vengefully voted to impeach him. What Trump has done is so much worse.


By the way, I'm NOT a Hillary supporter. She was awful. But I'm not a 'hater' - I can see when someone is worse and not be blind by being wrapped up in Hillary-hating.

 

[Admiral]

There are many struggling poor white working families in the rust belt with very little upward mobility or job opportunity.

I doubt the Democrats even care about the black vote. It's more expected then them actually caring.

Oh, I know. I'm from one of those families. Like J.D. Vance, the military was my ticket. But those white families are, forever I believe, lost to the Democrats. We resent the Democrats' transformation into an overtly anti-white racist party.

The blacks have been bamboozled by the anti-white racism, which they kind of dig. They've been too caught up in the revenge fantasy to have noticed that the Democrats have been importing one group of foreigners after another specifically to avoid having anything to do with, and to do anything for, the blacks. Why bother with troublesome blacks when Pablo and Danian and Chul-soo and Arjun all have higher IQs, will work harder, and don't have criminal records? Especially if those ******* keep voting Democratic for 200 years, as LBJ crowed.

But one day soon, I believe very soon, blacks will tumble to the fact that America First nativism includes them too, and that uncontrolled immigration hurts them the most. It won't take much; Democrats will never win the Presidency again if only 80% of black voters go their way.

 

[TimUSCA]

More likely the opposite. Who wants their brand endorsed by, or associated with, someone as controversial as Trump? Best to distance yourself.
[doublepost=1500745796][/doublepost]

True. The educated, well-paid, white collar professionals I know don’t respect Trump. Meanwhile, while traveling through Virginia’s backcountry recently, I saw large, handmade Trump! banners in the yards and lots of humble homes and small businesses. Morally, these rural communities are conservative. Philosophically, these people are socialists. As for technology, they can survive without it.

Your experiences don't mirror the entire country. Not even close. I know just as many well-educated and intelligent people who supported Trump as I do those who are liberal. Likewise, I know a lot of idiots who supported either candidate. When you try and paint an entire voting group as stupid, it looks really childish on you and your entire party.

 

[magicschoolbus]

Oh, I know. I'm from one of those families. Like J.D. Vance, the military was my ticket. But those white families are, forever I believe, lost to the Democrats. We resent the Democrats' transformation into an overtly anti-white racist party.

The blacks have been bamboozled by the anti-white racism, which they kind of dig. They've been too caught up in the revenge fantasy to have noticed that the Democrats have been importing one group of foreigners after another specifically to avoid having anything to do with, and to do anything for, the blacks. Why bother with troublesome blacks when Pablo and Danian and Chul-soo and Arjun all have higher IQs, will work harder, and don't have criminal records? Especially if those ******* keep voting Democratic for 200 years, as LBJ crowed.

But one day soon, I believe very soon, blacks will tumble to the fact that America First nativism includes them too, and that uncontrolled immigration hurts them the most. It won't take much; Democrats will never win the Presidency again if only 80% of black voters go their way.

I 100% agree with you. Republicans need to start chanting this message now.

 

[MistrSynistr]

Trump doesn't want us to investigate at all and said ANY Russian ties were 'fake news'.

And every day we find more and more Trump-Russia ties. So there IS something to this story. It's NOT fake news at all.

It seems SO suspicious the venom that Trump releases regarding anyone trying to find out any information about Russian ties. He's guilty somehow or otherwise he'd fess up and never hide anything. If innocent, his attitude should be 'investigate me all you want, you'll find nothing!' and give any information he has. But he's doing the exact opposite. Even when we find out information, he blames the leakers and we need to go after the leakers. Really? No. It's you, Trump, who is the problem.

Of course, Trump supporters will be blind about this no matter what information comes out. There could be Putin-Trump tapes where Putin promises to manipulate voting machines, doesn't matter, but die-hard Trump supporters will ignore that and scream, 'But.... Hillary'.

The main-stream media just wants to find out the truth is all. Trump is trying to block it every step of the way. Remember when Clinton was investigated regarding Monica Lewinski? Did Clinton fire everyone and call everything fake? No. He issued a few white lies, and was found guilty of the most minor thing (not admitting to cheating on his wife, which is totally legal), which the Republicans vengefully voted to impeach him. What Trump has done is so much worse.


By the way, I'm NOT a Hillary supporter. She was awful. But I'm not a 'hater' - I can see when someone is worse and not be blind by being wrapped up in Hillary-hating.

Absolutely none of this info is correct in this post. Anyone reading this who has done even an ounce of research through means of news media not controlled directly by the DNC and a leftist/globalist agenda would already know this.

You would have to be completely ignorant and read only headlines of CNN or be nefarious and sneaky trying to convince others of this nonsense to further your agenda.

To others who come across misinformation like this, step outside your box. Think rationally and clearly. Do not believe immediately the lies of the MSM or only read headlines of skewed "news" pushing an agenda. It will be hard to swallow and stomach revelations that you were indeed wrong about many of things. I had to.

 

[bbeagle]

Absolutely none of this info is correct in this post. Anyone reading this who has done even an ounce of research through means of news media not controlled directly by the DNC and a leftist/globalist agenda would already know this.

You would have to be completely ignorant and read only headlines of CNN or be nefarious and sneaky trying to convince others of this nonsense to further your agenda.

To others who come across misinformation like this, step outside your box. Think rationally and clearly. Do not believe immediately the lies of the MSM or only read headlines of skewed "news" pushing an agenda. It will be hard to swallow and stomach revelations that you were indeed wrong about many of things. I had to.

Wow. Are you paid by the RNC?

What 'info' did I post that was incorrect? There are Russian ties, are there not? Trump won't release his taxes, Trump Jr. admitted to meetings and just yesterday Kushner says he had meetings with Russians and confirms news that Trump said was fake. Trump has fired people investigating him, and any poll he doesn't like is fake. I don't watch CNN or MSNBC. I watch all the networks including FOX, and read differing opinions on many different websites. It's not rocket science to understand this.

 

[Defthand]

Your experiences don't mirror the entire country. Not even close. I know just as many well-educated and intelligent people who supported Trump as I do those who are liberal. Likewise, I know a lot of idiots who supported either candidate. When you try and paint an entire voting group as stupid, it looks really childish on you and your entire party.

Huh??? You’re misquoting, and projecting. I concurred with the original poster that it’s a misperception that Trump supporters are tech-adverse old white men—a common meme describing conservatives. The conservative professionals I personally know are very tech saavy. Meanwhile, I’m aware of Trump supporters who are assumed to be politically conservative because of their conservative moral code but, in reality, are socialist. They rely heavily on the socialist programs of government. And they don’t give a damn about iPhones and similar technology.

How you misinterpreted that is beyond me. I’d like to see you correlate your interpretation to my actual words. You can start by telling me what party I belong to, as I never said which.

 

[iPad Air]

You could spend $100million and it would be a waste of time. Trump changes his mind from one minute to the next.

He also knows almost nothing about corporations or politics; e.g., having to recently lift the visa ban after realising oh wait not all immigrants are rapists?

Drain the swamp...please. It's now filled with more bankers than before.

Knows nothing about corporations?? I am pretty sure he owns and has successfully operated a multi-billion dollar corporation.

 

[Tech198]

And as politicians change the lobbying charges will just keep rising...

 

[alexgowers]

I've got my issues with Trump, but how has he "clearly installed corruption on a massive scale"?

And I'm not sure how you define a "decent wage", but congressmen and senators make about $175K plus good benefits. Not to mention they can legally do insider trading. Pretty much by definition, greedy egotists will be elected because they are the best at winning elections.

More billionaires in office than ever. Money and Power corrupt. The US has issues with runaway commercialism. I'm not blaming trump specifically but the team of people and family he's surrounded himself with. Moderate republicans can't even side with him so he's left to get in bed with the dregs and crazies.

 

[bbeagle]

Knows nothing about corporations?? I am pretty sure he owns and has successfully operated a multi-billion dollar corporation.

He has also NOT successfully operated 6 businesses that he went bankrupt with, and 40% of his businesses failed.

http://www.businessinsider.com/dona...21-projects-the-times-concluded-measured-up-3

The thing is, Trump understands how businesses work to benefit HIM.

1. Start a business. Easy for him because he has money.
2. Get income from the business (doesn't matter if you make a profit or not)
3. Take a large salary, which you get to keep after the business fails.
4. Of the money left, try to pay suppliers or take business loans.
5. Declare bankruptcy, keep his money. Suppliers/banks are left out without their money repaid.

None of this is business-savy to help others or the USA. Just himself. And he is profiting heavily from becoming president and will leave the USA in worse shape. He will pass laws like the new Healthcare Reform, which will benefit the rich like his family and himself personally, while hurting the working poor.

 

[amegicfox]

Tim Crook "There are clearly areas where we're not nearly on the same page"

what page ? same page ? Tim you are a leftist nobody

go back to Apple and try to learn technology and design instead of paying SWJ

 

[Admiral]

He has also NOT successfully operated 6 businesses that he went bankrupt with, and 40% of his businesses failed.

http://www.businessinsider.com/dona...21-projects-the-times-concluded-measured-up-3

The thing is, Trump understands how businesses work to benefit HIM.

1. Start a business. Easy for him because he has money.
2. Get income from the business (doesn't matter if you make a profit or not)
3. Take a large salary, which you get to keep after the business fails.
4. Of the money left, try to pay suppliers or take business loans.
5. Declare bankruptcy, keep his money. Suppliers/banks are left out without their money repaid.

None of this is business-savy to help others or the USA. Just himself. And he is profiting heavily from becoming president and will leave the USA in worse shape. He will pass laws like the new Healthcare Reform, which will benefit the rich like his family and himself personally, while hurting the working poor.

Since you're a business expert, could you fill us in on what percentage of new businesses in the United States fail within three years of foundation? Within five years?

The Trump Organization currently has about 500 business entities. Donald Trump became President of the Trump Organization in 1971, 46 years ago. How many total business entities were formed by the Trump Organization during that time? Of the total, you say six (6) have been identified as having undergone Chapter 11 business reorganization or a workout for the benefit of creditors (I understand it to be four, but whatever). What percentage of total Trump entities does that comprise? How does that compare to other large businesses and their subsidiaries (i.e., over the last 46 years, how many other FORTUNE 500 enterprises have either undergone company reorganization or a workout)? And how does that compare to the real estate development industry generally? Is bankruptcy known to be a common event or an uncommon event in the real estate development industry?

Warning: I am a bankruptcy lawyer.

The Trump Organization has annual revenues of US$9.5 billion a year, and employs approximately 22,500 people. How does that compare to most enterprises in the United States? (Hint: No. 295 on the FORTUNE 500 list, Hormel Foods, has revenues of US$9.5 billion a year.) How does that compare to your own business success?

 

[hagar]

Tim Crook "There are clearly areas where we're not nearly on the same page"

what page ? same page ? Tim you are a leftist nobody

go back to Apple and try to learn technology and design instead of paying SWJ

1. He is not a nobody, he is CEO of one of the most successful companies in the world. What's your current position?

2. He shouldn't learn design and tech. He is the CEO and has to make sure Apple's experts and designers can do their jobs the best they can while making a profit.

3. As far as I know he's not a "leftist" as there are no left politics in the US. Democrats are centre right and Republicans are far right. So at best he's centre right.