as seen on tv
Senator
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/378334/what-stem-shortage-steven-camarota#!
Politicians give us 2 reasons for naturalizing all the illegal aliens, and letting a bunch more in legally.
The first is that it would be a “crisis” and “impossible” to root out all the ones already here, ask them to apply for citizen ship or a card under existing laws, and then dismiss/deport those who continue to defy the law. This is the “humanitarian” viewpoint – we must change laws if criminals ignore them, despite the fact that most people do obey the law.
The second reason is a bit more clever, and less insulting to our intelligence. It revolves around the theory that there is a shortage of people with advanced degrees and technical skills, and only by VASTLY increasing the job visa program can american industry remain competitive. I have to confess I’ve found this compelling at times. I mean who WOULDN’T want corporations to stop filing bankruptcy, getting bailouts, and instead resume paying their fair share of taxes?
A new report (link above) throws cold water on the meme that our competivitness is at stake. By the numbers, the analysis shows that not are we NOT experiencing a shortage of people with the necessary technical skills and degrees; in fact, we have an oversupply of them (high unemployment within these degrees) and that wages have been flat/stagnant for some time.
So why ARE corporations (through lobbyists, the chamber of commerce, etc) threatening to cut off contributions to politicians of both parties unless vast quantities of new, skilled immigrants are allowed in?
The answer is that they (corporations) believe that increasing the labor force with entrants who would be happy with even LOWER wages – will be a winning strategy.
Put your capitalist/free market hat on, and think about it. If money is tight, would you hire some recent college grad who expects $40-$50,000 a year, but has no track record? Or some dude from India, Pakistan, or an asian country who has 10 years experience, and will work for half that? At least for a few more years, before he wises up? Plus, you can threaten him (or her) with withdrawal of the job visa sponsorship if applies for a job with a competitor. Hat trick – you have a virtual slave. Just like the NBA, which is having its annual slave auction tonight. For kids who want to escape the even more oppressive slavery of playing for free to NCAA schools.
I’ve always been skeptical that “immigration reform” is going to fix anything. The 10 million Mexicans working at Mickey D’s, or as maids, or janitors, or cooks, or lawn crew guys – they’re getting minimum wage, but aren’t actually preventing anyone else from getting a job. This is because the 50% of our inner city kids who drop out l due to crappy schools, drugs, and broken homes don’t have the skill set to show up on time and treat customers politely,. Whether they're paid $7.50 an hour, $10.10, or $15. Ask any McDonalds manager. They don’t even give a drug test any more – no one would pass. And the turnover rate of new hires in the first 60 days if 30-50%. Visit your local fast food restaurant if you doubt me. Very few “natural born citizens”. The crews mostly speak Spanish among themselves. And somehow they manage to save money and send some back home on the $7.50 an hour. And get promoted to managerial positions for hard work.
So . . . I’m not buying it, US Chamber of Commerce. We have a crisis at both ends of the educational spectrum here. Kids with no education or skills and don’t know how to behave. And kids with expensive degrees (and student loans) who corporations won’t hire. Because they want to import foreign labor at half the cost, or export the jobs overseas. “Immigration Reform” isn’t going to help with any of this.
Start over. And Mr. President? Please pay attention to this problem. Nobody believes your sorry-azz excuses that you never knew these problems existed until you read about them in today’s newspaper. We’re not as dumb as your advisors tell you we are. At least not those of us who graduated.
