H1B

[paulc]

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.
> 
> 
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