Immigration-Trade Link Can No Longer Be Ignored

AmericanEconomicAlert.org ^ | Monday, July 05, 2004 | Alan Tonelson

[NewRomeTacitus]

"Soaring medical insurance costs are eating up some of the money that otherwise might have been available for wage increases."

I wonder what could possibly be spurring this? Hmmmm.

[sarcasm]

I can think of 11,000,000 reasons.

[american spirit]

Yeah I know......I was basically referring to the assorted useful idiots in the media, academia, and gov't....you know all those parasitical types that don't know a thing about employees, payrolls, etc. but will lecture those of us (who are struggling mightily to survive in the marketplace)long and hard about the wonders of the global economy. One can only hope that future H1B programs will be expanded to include news reporters, professors and gov't bureaucrats.

[texastoo]

A friend of mine who is a male nurse and also teaches nursing told me that he has been approached by a local doctor to teach a crash course for Mexican nurses to enable them to pass American licensure boards. The doctor intends to form an agency to contract these nurses for $9 to $10 per hour thereby undercutting American nurse salaries.

My friend has refused stating this was un American. However, we both agreed that someone else will do it.

[neutrino]

Thanks for the ping, Sarcasm!

Economists including Morgan Stanley's Roach say they fret that continuing increases in overall labor costs, including fringe benefits, may contribute to rising inflation. Over the past three years, falling unit labor costs "have helped check inflation," Roach wrote in a June 1 letter to clients.

Ahh, yes, those evil wage increases. Never mind that almost all of us gain from improvements in wages - whether as wage earners, or as business people whose customers have more money to spend. Wage increases, if we are to believe Roach, are bad.

I do believe this is the same Roach quoted by certain free traitors who will remain unnamed. How telling that a free traitin' hero is opposed to wage increases.

One should beware the roach - a disease carrying pest that flees the light and hides in dank corners.

[sarcasm]

I do believe this is the same Roach quoted by certain free traitors who will remain unnamed

How many guesses do I get?

[neutrino]

How many guesses do I get?

(Chuckle) I'll bet you only need one! But take as many as you like.

[PersonalLiberties]

I have been watching this too and wondering why no one seems concerned.

[sarcasm]

But take as many as you like.

I don't like to be rude.

[neutrino]

I don't like to be rude.

Oh, boy! Good one!

[ninenot]

One thing I haven't seen addressed is the erosion of after-tax income due to increases in deductible and co-pay obligations of employees.

While businesses have stepped up to the bar a bit on the health-care issue, employees have, too.

This article gives a little insight there..

[wku man]

My sister in law works as an HR rep for a major healthcare company, which has been sending her to the Philippines for years now to recruit nurses. I've also heard suggestions that Indians be recruited to teach in government schools. No job is safe...if it can't be outsourced, they'll find a way to bring in an H-1B or L-1 holder to take it, or look the other way while some scumbag hires an illegal for it. Marksmanship will be the must-have job skill for the future.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[lainde]

bttt

[Vigilanteman]

And if genuine labor shortages do emerge in high tech industries – as they do from time to time in every industry – U.S. companies have to be told to attract workers the old-fashioned way – by raising wages or developing new labor-saving technologies.

This is exactly the immigration policy of Singapore. Contrary to popular opinion, they are NOT an overcrowded island like Hong Kong. In fact, two thirds of the land area is sparsely developed. Meanwhile, they are using part of their earnings to buy soil from Indonesia for the purpose of territorial expansion.