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I wonder if we can return to our regular Linux and Unix programming ? thanks paulc > > From: "Wizard" <wizard at neonedge.com> > Date: 2003/05/31 Sat PM 06:24:01 EDT > To: discuss at blu.org > Subject: Re: H1B > > > > We (Americans) are not independent of the world. And I don't want to > > be. When the computer industry resorts to protectionism for its > > workforce (a typical pattern for recently emerging industry that is no > > longer emerging) is when it gets remarkably uninteresting and its time > > to question what we're doing. > > I don't believe that this is what we are discussing here. The issue > here is twofold: One, that these folks often take the money that > they've earned and go home, not supporting the economy that offered > them the opportunity to earn that money. Americans on the other hand, > spend that money on products that require paying American > sales/excise/homeowners tax, American tariffs, or American fees. If it > wasn't for Americans spending money on the products that these people > contribute to, and 'buying American' then there would be no H1B > program, as there would be no jobs to fill. "Protectionism" is a > different thing entirely, protecting an industry from FAIR competition > from foreign interests. This, on the other hand, protects our citizens > rights and opportunities under the law, which makes the H1B visa > program illegal on it's face. If another party can compete for my job > on a playing field that is weighted to benefit them, then that is > unfair, and thereby illegal. I HAVE to pay taxes, as my home is in the > US. I HAVE to pay fees, tariffs, and excise as I LIVE in the US. I HAVE > to support the economy, as it's the only one I have access to. The H1B > visa holder has options that are strictly-speaking unavailable to me. > Second, these people are not necessary to our economy, and are in > all honestly being exploited by companies as a form of cheap labor, > rather than to fill a true need. If a company has a valid need for > personnel that it truly cannot fill from the EXTENSIVE labor pool in > the US (and in a region that in all likelihood has the highest > unemployment since the Great Depression), then by all means, an H1B > visa should be issued. The problem is that these same companies are > laying-off people that are already doing those jobs, and having H1B > visa holders do those same jobs. In all honesty, if these companies > were offering H1B visa holders the same pay and benefits that they were > offering Americans, then I would be less inclined to argue, however H1B > visa holders can work for money that others cannot possibly afford, not > unlike illegal immigrants. Additionally, the opportunity exists for > visa holders to abuse the system similar to the way that some illegal > aliens do; by abusing the health care system, the tax laws, and other > things that are requirements of citizens that will be here for more > than a year (ask any bill collector how many times they've successfully > collected from people on a temporary visa). All things that I as an > American, end up paying for. > Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all or even most H1B visa > holders are crooks, but a potential exists that is far less likely in a > citizen of our country. The arguments used by corporations today are > NOT VALID. These are the same arguments that have been used throughout > history; by slave holders, robber-barons, mine owners, and other > interests whose sole intent is to exploit people for their own selfish > benefit. Whatever they tell you, it is not helping YOU or your country > to allow this to continue. Write your congressman. > My two cents (which is what they'd like to pay me per hour), > Grant M. > > > _______________________________________________ > Discuss mailing list > Discuss at blu.org > http://www.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss >
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