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Re:Why 3.5M Americans in their prime years aren’t working by badpun on Saturday February 24, 2018 @03:05PM (#16455057)
> Apple, for instance, nets almost all of the profits from an iPhone, yet in the trade balance an iPhone magically counts as a $1000 deficit with China.

What good does Apple's record profits do for the US? Apple is owned by shareholders across the world, and Americans benefit only insofar as they actually own Apple stock.

Re:Why 3.5M Americans in their prime years aren’t working by anameaname on Saturday February 24, 2018 @04:07PM (#16455407)
America, and the market as a whole benefits because something new is created. Even if you didn't own any Apple stock, you can still buy something that didn't exist until Apple made it. iPhones are an option for consumers to choose when making a purchase that otherwise wouldn't have existed. You can buy something that previously didn't exist.

A smaller scale example is restaurants open late. If you wanted a meal at 4am, a 24-hour restaurant is providing you value because otherwise you would have gone hungry. The value to you is fulfillment, even if you don't own any of the restaurant, or even if the restaurant didn't pay any taxes.

There is real value in companies moving the world as a whole forward. You don't have to own part of them to get the benefits.

Re:Why 3.5M Americans in their prime years aren’t working by oblio on Saturday February 24, 2018 @03:13PM (#16455118)
Normally those profits would be taxed in the US...
Re:Why 3.5M Americans in their prime years aren’t working by PunchTornado on Saturday February 24, 2018 @05:48PM (#16455913)
The profits made by Apple Germany are taxed in Germany. Profits made by Apple US are taxed in the US. In theory... In practice very little of what they make is taxed.