As far as the H-1b/L1 is concerned, I think it is an improvement despite the higher cap. I can't give it a glowing endorsement because it misses on key protections - such as defining prevailing wages as the median wage in an occupation to prevent wage decline.
My concern with the overall bill is that it not be an "indentured servant" visa program. Some are upset about the new point system - however I am not. I think we should attract the best and brightest and discriminate on whom we allow to immigrate here based on education and skill. Sorry, that's how I roll ;-)
As long as we can give employees full rights in the labor market and have sustainable numbers I think the bill should be passed and reconciled with a house version. We can then iron out the problems in the house, and with luck the final bill will benefit both labor and immigrants.
The big question is "Does this bill give immigrants full rights in the labor market", "are the numbers sustainable", and "does it adequately protect the American workforce"?
Anyone care to answer those questions with their opinion?
I have no confidence our Senators will do the right thing.
For example, the "pathway" to citizenship has fines so high that most illegal aliens would not be able to afford them. These people left their countries because they had nothing. It would be difficult for me to get $5,000 to pay any kind of fine; for illegal aliens earning salaries below the minimum wage, this is practically impossible. Now add a spouse and a child, and suddenly the "pathway" to citizenship becomes a $15,000 process, and this price tag doesn't include the the cost to travel back to the country of origin and apply there.
Most illegal aliens and their advocates see this process to legalization as a farce.
Yet, anti-immigration activists believe that this process grants amnesty to illegal aliens, believing that it is too kind and not punitive enough.
So you have opposition for the same program from both pro and anti immigration advocates. This is not a way to get a bill pass.
Corporations are damaging our nation. They want an underclass of indentured workers that will undermine American labor. This means of labor arbitrage will increase productivity. Productivity gains either come from increases in output or decreases in cost. Companies are aiming to achieve both.
Increased output can be found by relaxing labor laws. The 40 hour workweek seems like a thing of the past. Decreased costs can be achieved through exploiting desperate people from foreign lands, reducing benefits, and keeping wage growth below inflation.
The first step was to destroy the biggest threat to this goal: American labor groups. Will we Americans allow corporations to destroy groups that represent us, resulting in our own isolation and further decrease in power - or will Americans fight back?
Any self-respecting American should vote. In my view if you aren't voting, you aren't deserving of the protections of the constitution or the blood of those who fought and died for our freedom. You dishonor our nation and our history. I get so angry at the 40% of this nation that don't care enough about our country to simply participate in our democracy.
This is another reason I think immigration laws are important. If you are an immigrant and coming to this country - and you plan to sit on the couch and not participate in this democracy - please stay in your own country. Every self-respecting immigrant who has the right to vote should be voting - or they too don't deserve to enjoy the freedom found in this nation. If you can't vote, you can still participate in our democracy in other ways.
Our immigration laws should be designed to create American citizens who participate as EQUALS in our democracy and our economy. I think a good immigrant group to model after are the Cuban community. Even if you don't support their politics you must admire how they have embraced freedom and participated in local and national debate.
Frankly, I don't think we need a guest worker program. There isn't a job in this country Americans won't take. There are however wages that we can't survive on. Our immigration program should not consider for a moment the state of the market and what corporations desire. It should consider growing our democracy with people who love what we stand for.
If you are here for a lousy job and nothing else, then you have nothing invested in my country and I don't care about your future here. Sorry. Citizenship has obligations - that too many citizens take for granted. I think we should only make citizens those people who love this country and want to participate in our democracy. So a mass amnesty or blanket citizenship is out of the question.
Immigration == Citizens, not serfs.