Apple, MS, Nike founded when top tax rate more than twice as high as now. And by the 99%.

[ErikJ]

Contrary to the constant Republican propaganda that high top taxes on rich kills jobs assuming that they are created by the top 1%ers;

Apple, Microsoft and Nike, three of the most successful companies in America today were all founded by middle class kids in the 1960's -70's when the top marginal tax rates were 40% higher than today! 35% vs 74%!

Of course, thousands of today's successful companies were founded then too, like Walmart and.........

[BadgerKid]

1. I say, "Why aren't you being innovative enough?"

We can just as well turn it around and say, "Why aren't you being innovative enough?" Instead, the higher-ups are greedy with their salaries instead of the Boards of Directors committing to reinvestment.

In a way, Apples and Microsofts were ready to happen. The technology was coming into being for various reasons. Space race and whatever. These were part of emerging markets. In other words, IMO, there was more to it that just the tax rate.

Maybe what the Corpublicans mean is that you cannot expect to create jobs easily in an already saturated market. Everyone's product looks the same. I mean, is there really that much difference major cell phone carriers? Maybe that's to be expected when your economy becomes a service-centered economy. Besides, cell carriers are upgrading their speeds, so there is that innovation and competition, but then again, they are just doing it nevermind the tax rate. Now if they would reduce service plan charges in exchange for reduced taxes, that might be an interesting point.

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Wow. Really?

You're talking about mature markets for mature products.

The telephone came about when there was no comparable product except the telegraph. Electricity was a new paradigm at the time.

Today it is a product we don't know about that will be the Next Big Thing. Then that will mature and the cycle will repeat.