The US can print money, Apple cannot. Having said this Apple or MSFT are too extremely strong stocks. I voted the US, still because of the fact of the FED. The fiscal situation of a company can change in a hundred years, just look at the few. Amoco, Bethlehem Steel, Compaq, etc.
Just think of a hypothetical - you own APPL stocks and preferred and bonds and China and the US enter into a low level, non-nuclear conflict (just to test out the latest toys they have). Do you think this is impossible or improbable? I do not!
What do you think would happen to Apple's supply line and earnings?