The Republican Presidential Debate was held at the North Charleston Coliseum in South Carolina and featured candidates Mitt Romney,Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum. A discussion sparked about Apple, when CNN host John King asked the candidates about bringing jobs back to the United States. King specifically focused on the fact that Apple “a breathtakingly important American company” that employs most of its workforce in retail stores, but hires half a million low-paid workers through its Far East suppliers and contract manufacturers that actually assemble its products. Rick Santorum has “a plan in place” to put this strategy to an end, as do other candidates.

“Apple, you have all those employees over there, you make all those profits over there. If you want to bring that money back, right now you have to pay 35 percent tax. Under our plan, if you bring it back and invest in the plant equipment here in Charleston – you pay nothing. Put that money to work, invest it and you pay nothing – it’s a powerful incentive.”

Technorati Tags: Republican candidates discuss Apple