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H1B



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert La Ferla" <robertlaferla at attbi.com>
To: <discuss at blu.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 31, 2003 1:29 PM
Subject: Re: H1B


"Patrick R. McManus" <mcmanus at ducksong.com> wrote:

>> Just browsing my linux mailboxes this morning (representing perhaps 12
>> or 18 hours of mail) I've come across the following 'foreigners' who
>> have contributed more to creating the linux industry than most anybody
>> on this list. Some of these people work for american companies. Some
>> of them even work in America. The horror!

>Hiring temporary foreigner workers when there are unemployed people in our
country who will work for reasonable rates is the problem.  Your argument is
basically a variation of the liberal argument that "companies should hire
the best (btw - sometimes best=cheapest) workers regardless of where they
live."

Maybe times have changed -- or perhaps the meaning of liberal has-- but as
far as I can tell the "liberal argument" has always been to protect and
preserve US jobs.

"Hire the best (sometimes best=cheapest) workers regardless of where they
live." represents *conservative view* -- lazy protectionist employees who
want too much money, and would probably unionize if given half a chance and
this is all Bad For Business, etc. etc. :-)

As you say,
>Hiring temporary foreigner workers when there are unemployed people in our
country who will work for reasonable rates is the problem.

You're right on the money there! Right now there is NO shortage of good
techies and no one expects a 1999 pay scale any more. Controlled immigration
is a GOOD THING (imho)... because it's enough of a reality check that we
don't drive industry away. Plain and simple the H1-B/L-1 thing is a
'jobs-destruction' program, benefiting no one...  except some investors, the
top-brass at EMC, and the politicians who will pick up a bigger campaign
finance check from the above beneficiaries.

The good news at least is the economy cannot sustain deliberate
unemployment, so at some point hopefully the television media will put a
spotlight on this issue. One hopes.





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