How blue is Apple?

[primavera]

I just made the switch over to macs from pcs, driven in part by the nightmare of Window's Vista (the horror... the horror...), but also in part owing the the image Apple projects in its parketing, i.e., an environmentally friendly, progressive-minded company, etc.. But I can't help but notice that our new iMac, MacBook, Time Capsule, and iPod all shipped directly from Shanghai. Apparently all of their products now are being manufactured in China, and the boxes are all inscribed with the caveat: "Designed in California by Apple."

So what we know about Apple politically? Can I feel good about supporting a deserving company by buying their products, or are they running slave labor camps in China and firing US workers? Do they treat their workers decently, compensate them adequately, provide safe working conditions? I seem to recall reading once somewhere that they gave a fair amount of money to Dems in elections, but I don't remember whether that reflected the company as a whole or Steve Jobs as an individual. Can anyone tell me what they know about Apple's politics? Please tell me that I haven't just given thousands of dollars to a company that, like Dell, is just going to give it all to Tom Delay.

[Pierre.Suave]

1. There used to be a website called BuyBlue.org

that would rate companies as either red or blue based on a bunch of factors, Apple was solidly blue, and over the last few years has made gains on being more environmentally friendly too.

edit, I just typed in buyblue.org and it looks like they will be back up soon, YAY!

[primavera]

4. Yeah, I've really been missing buyblue

I wonder what happened to them. Well, here's hoping they're back up and running soon.

[onehandle]

2. When buyblue was up they were listed as overwhelmingly Blue.

Steve Jobs is a Democrat and Bill Clinton has stayed at his home.

That being said, they are a large electronics manufacturer. They have, like all computer companies, have been moving their manufacturing to China.

And that being said, Dell is far, far, far up the GOP's ass.

You obviously can't feel 100% good about buying from a company that trades with China, but you could do much worse.

And unless you live in the Unabomber's shack and live off the land, you will buy Chinese manufacturing.

[primavera]

5. Sad commentary isn't it?

It's getting to the point where you can't feel 100% good about buying from any American company, save maybe Ben & Jerry's (and if they've gone over to the Dark Side, please don't tell me - I don't think I could stand to hear it!). My wife and I bought our last pcs from Gateway, which we understood was a pretty progressive company, but then Microsoft had to go and fuck up pcs by forcing Vista down everyone's throats. Well, I'm glad to hear that making the switch over to macs hasn't made us into inadvertent reich-wing supporters. Thanks for the info!

[WritersBlock]

3. Apple Board of Directors:

One fairly blue name there ;)



Bill Campbell
Chairman and former CEO
Intuit Corp.

Millard Drexler
Chairman and CEO
J. Crew

Albert Gore Jr.
Former Vice President of the United States

Steve Jobs
CEO, Apple

Andrea Jung
Chairman and CEO, Avon Products

Arthur D. Levinson, Ph. D.
Chairman and CEO
Genentech

Dr. Eric Schmidt
CEO
Google

Jerry York
Chairman, President and CEO
Harwinton Capital

[onehandle]

7. How could I forget that in my response?

The real President is a Democrat.

[mopinko]

6. i think that their employees here are treated pretty well.

can't say that for sure, but i do know that they get a lot of training and get paid for that. i have been doing 1 to 1 training for several months now. one of my trainers turned out to be a neighbor, so we had a great session, and talked about a lot of stuff. i asked her how she liked working for apple, and she said she really loved it. she rattled off a lot of things that i don't remember right now. but she had been with them for 7 years, and was hoping to stay with them forever.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. My stockbroker says they are very blue

I insist on stock from blue companies and the first one mentioned was Apple. She said they are considered one of the bluest stocks available.