OBAMA THE JOB ROBBER: Quietly Extending H-1B Visas of Foreign Workers, leaving US Engineers Jobless

www.webToday.tv ^ | 03/26/2012 | webtoday.tv

[geraldmcg]

At a time of high unemployment and with a struggling economy, why on earth would Obama go out of his way to push to extend the H-1B Visas of foreign workers while millions of American engineers are without jobs?

That is the question being asked by Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly...

[StolarStorm]

Hate to tell you this, but a lot of people here on this board think it’s just fine to bring in people on visas too. even during a spike in unemployment. Battled that issue in the past....

[khelus]

Original article if sound here:

http://townhall.com/columnists/phyllisschlafly/2012/03/20/h1b_visas_take_american_jobs/page/full/

“... Big companies prefer H-1B workers because they can pay them significantly less than Americans, never have to give them a raise or promotion, and have the unilateral power to deport them. H-1B workers don’t dare to complain about working conditions or unpaid long hours, and they can’t quit to take a better job.

Most H-1B workers are imported for entry-level jobs and trained by experienced U.S. workers who are then laid off. This process has introduced a new expression and acronym into the English language — DYOG: Dig Your Own Grave ...”

In addition, H-1B’s often pay no or partial taxes and morph into illegals nwhen they over stay their visa.

[DuncanWaring]

Rhetorical question, right?

Everything The Won does is done with the goal of weakening/destroying this country in particular and Western Civilization in general.

[khelus]

if = is

nwhen = when

time for coffee.

Additional fact, H-1Bs here serve as a conduit for off- shoring to places where $5K - $10K per year is a tidy sum.

[PreciousLiberty]

It’s a horrible program. The net effect is to drive down salaries (just as with outsourcing). In turn, that makes engineering a less desirable career, so fewer American students pursue it. THEN we’re informed there’s a shortage of qualified Americans...

It should be recognized that it’s in the long-term national interest to hire Americans. The H1-B program needs a major overhaul, at a bare minimum. What it most certainly DOES NOT need is expansion!!!

[freekitty]

The POTUS office is nothing and useless when you have a sicko like Obama in office. Same with the Clintons.

We need an adult.

[central_va]

I’ll bet all four Republican candidates are for H1-b expansion.

[Vigilanteman]

Japan addresses this problem without quotas. They simply require that people imported from abroad be paid a salary premium of at least 10% over the industry standard. This has the dual effect of drving up overall wages in the industry and attracting more Japanese to go into it. It also ensures that foreign workers are hired to improve quality and not just to reduce labor costs.

[Jim from C-Town]

I am for H1-b visas, but ONLY FOR LAWYERS! That would end the practice quickly.

[coon2000]

H-1B has been a job killing, salary depleting nightmare for the last 15 years at least. It is being operated illegally as no H1-B applicant is supposed to be hired until it is proven that an American is not available to fill the job. If it is proven that an American cannot fill the job, the H1-B is supposed to be hired at the prevailing wage. This is not being done in either case. This is legal indentured servitude as most H1-B workers in the I.T. industry are Indians, brought in by Indian contracting companies, paying said workers minimum wages. They stack them up 8 workers in a two bedroom dump apartment. If the worker complains, they are promptly deported back to India. Meanwhile, qualified English speaking Americans are either phased out or forced to take radically reduced salaries.

We are importing 3rd world into America. H1-B needs to be either cut completely or at the very least operated in accordance to how it was originally enacted.

[Reeses]

Big companies prefer H-1B workers

Big government prefers H-1B workers because they pay full social security taxes and unemployment insurance but can not claim any benefits. It's a big free money kickback to the government that normal workers don't pay.

[central_va]

I am for H1-b visas, but ONLY FOR LAWYERS! That would end the practice quickly.

Right the law firm of Gupta, Singh and Rham here to server your legal needs.

[khelus]

H-IB's paying SS taxes is a myth

Another myth is that they pay unemployment taxes.

How H-1Bs and L-1s Avoid Paying Taxes

• A company in India (in this case Leading Edge) hires someone that will become an H-1B.
• Leading edge subcontracts them to a bodyshop like TATA or Syntel.
• TATA gets them a job at an American company.
• Leading edge deposits the pay check directly into the employees Indian bank account.
• The H-1B is given a living allowance that is free of all U.S. taxes.
• TATA also supplies them with housing so a minimum amount of money is transferred to the US.

[bgill]

Not this FReeper.

[PreciousLiberty]

Japan’s approach seems pretty good. One of the candidates could gain a couple million votes pretty easily by backing such a program.

[egfowler3]

"...It is being operated illegally as no H1-B applicant is supposed to be hired until it is proven that an American is not available to fill the job. ..."

You don't have to look at overseas job placement firms, just at the local business head hunters themselves. Being When I became an unemployed Systems Analyst looking for new employment I found myself an infrequent recipient of telephonic interviews designed to "prove" I was not qualified for the position applied for. The voice on the phone was always foreign accented and I was always overqualified. It didn't take long to figure out that they only wanted to disqualify me.

As StolarStorm said earlier in #1: "...Battled that issue in the past...."

[JustSayNoToNannies]

the H1-B is supposed to be hired at the prevailing wage.

This needs to be enforced, every bit as much as the laws against hiring illegal aliens.

[mountainbunny]

FTA: At a time of high unemployment and with a struggling economy, why on earth would Obama go out of his way to push to extend the H-1B Visas of foreign workers while millions of American engineers are without jobs?

That is the question being asked by Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly...

So, we have Obama's answer. If this picks up any traction, the media will consider it their job to ask all of the Republican candidates. You know. To be "fair".

If you expect any of them to reject the current system or call for smaller numbers you are out of your mind.

If he is every called on it (highly doubtful), Obama will make vague noises about "Congress" & President Bush. Bush was for expanstion of the HiB Visa program: http://news.oneindia.in/2007/01/26/bush-favours-expansion-of-h1b-visa-programme-1169787782.html

Republican office seekers will be left defending themselves as crusaders for higher numbers as in the pocket of big business.

Now might be a good time to remind Phyllis Schlafly that it isn't smart to pick fights you can't win. This is a favorite program of big business and both sides pander on this issue. Just a thought for election year.

[driftdiver]

Companies treat people as disposable and are then surprised when they return the favor