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Romney favors more visas for foreign seasonal workers
Mlive ^ | 101307 | AP

Posted on 10/13/2007 10:17:14 AM PDT by Fred

Romney favors more visas for foreign seasonal workers 10/13/2007, 11:23 a.m. ET By JOHN FLESHER The Associated Press

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Saturday he favored issuing more seasonal visas to foreign workers in industries such as agriculture and tourism while cracking down on illegal immigration.

Campaigning in northern Michigan, where many employers have struggled to fill jobs in hotels and restaurants during the summer tourist rush, Romney said more temporary workers should be allowed where there are labor shortages.

"The answer to that is simple, which is issue more visas," Romney told reporters. "If our employment sector needs additional immigrant laborers, then issue the visas necessary to provide that work force."

Federal law allows businesses needing seasonal help to obtain what are known as H2B visas for foreign laborers — if they can prove good-faith efforts to hire locally first.

Some in the hospitality industry worried that President Bush's plan to reform immigration, which stalled in the Senate earlier this year, would have required more paperwork and regulatory hurdles to bring in seasonal workers.

Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, said he could appreciate such concerns because some hotels and restaurants in the Cape Cod resort area had similar problems.

"I'm not going to leave America's employers without the capacity to meet the needs of our consuming public," he said.

Romney also planned to visit the Grand Rapids area later in the day.

Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. © 2007 Michigan Live. All Rights Reserved.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; electionpresident; fred; fredthompson; guilianitruthfile; illegal; immigration; mccain; romney; whore; zvisa
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"I'm not going to leave America's employers without the capacity to meet the needs of our consuming public," he said.

It is real increase salaries for Americans.

1 posted on 10/13/2007 10:17:15 AM PDT by Fred
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To: Fred
There are shortages of $5 lobster dinners and $100 Rolexes.

Mitt’s pandering. Those business should raise their bids for labor. They are competing in a market for labor. They want to have temporary, dislocated, no benefits, no pension high quality labor. Well, then pay. The price is the price. Ask Google, IBM, heck ask Mitt's company for below cost service, see what you get.

I guess to business value neutral Mitt, we are the “consuming public.”

2 posted on 10/13/2007 10:25:16 AM PDT by Leisler (Vote Republican, they'll increase your taxes, fines, fees and permits, 1.056% slower than Democrats!)
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To: Leisler
As the slogan goes..."Free Market Capitalism is the Best Path to Prosperity"...

AS LONG AS IT IS FREE FOR CORPORATE AMERICAN ONLY!!!!
3 posted on 10/13/2007 10:36:35 AM PDT by Fred ("What is it that makes liberals think the best way to help someone is to punish them" FDT)
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To: Fred
It’s odd that Mitt would pander to a few handful of business owners and stiff the many more laborers, whom just as he does, they want the most that they can get. I would think there would be more voters in the workers? Duh!

Also, in this case there seems to be a shortage. Classic free market would say, raise your price or find a way to do more with less.

So, Mitt choose the lest amount of voters, pandered and went with the lessor free enterprise option. Curious, odd.

4 posted on 10/13/2007 10:50:06 AM PDT by Leisler (Vote Republican, they'll increase your taxes, fines, fees and permits, 1.056% slower than Democrats!)
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To: Fred

“Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Saturday he favored issuing more seasonal visas to foreign workers in industries such as agriculture and tourism while cracking down on illegal immigration.”

What’s to guarantee that they’ll ever go back home when the “season” is over?


5 posted on 10/13/2007 10:59:57 AM PDT by Grunthor (http://franz.org/quiz.htm)
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To: Leisler

>>>They are competing in a market for labor. They want to have temporary, dislocated, no benefits, no pension high quality labor. Well, then pay. The price is the price. Ask Google, IBM, heck ask Mitt’s company for below cost service, see what you get.<<<

What you tend to get are college-educated Eastern Europeans with a fabulous work ethic who are willing to put in long hours and by far outperform and are more reliable than comparable American employees—if you could even get them. They don’t ask for much, they put in their time, and they use their earnings to save for college or buy things that they couldn’t afford to buy back home.

Having made many friends who went this route, I don’t see what the problem is. Have you ever been to a place like Wildwood, New Jersey after August? There is a reason the price of a hotel room falls from $250 a night to $45 per night in the offseason and why the traffic dies down exponentially. You know many people who are going to be willing to relocate to work in a diner or a hotel for the summer? And compete with the rent paid for by tourists and seasonal travelers?

Yeah, my girlfriend, who is Romanian, came to the US over the summer to work in a hotel and a restaurant. She was working 70-80 hours per week. She paid for a good portion of her college expenses while doing it. As the summer faded into fall, her boss even let her employees move into the hotel. Why? Simply because the rooms were empty.


6 posted on 10/13/2007 11:00:00 AM PDT by CheyennePress (Non Abbiamo Bisogno)
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To: Fred

Fred Thompson in comparison:

Voted for a foreign worker bill with no anti-fraud measures in 2000. Sen.Thompson voted for S.2045, the Abraham foreign worker bill to nearly triple the number of foreign high-tech workers. On the heels of the release of a GAO report finding no proof of a high-tech worker shortage and evidence of abuse in the H-1B program, Sen. Thompson voted for this foreign worker bill that contained no worker protections or anti-fraud measures. The bill passed the Senate 96-1.

As Committee member, produced H-1B doubling bill in 1998 Sen. Thompson was a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee that created the Abraham H-1B doubling bill in 1998, S.1723. He voted with the 12-6 majority to send the bill to the floor of the Senate without safeguards for American workers.

Nearly doubled H-1B foreign high-tech workers in 1998 Sen. Thompson helped the Senate pass S.1723 in a 78-20 vote. Enacted into law, it increased by nearly 150,000 the number of foreign workers high-tech American companies could hire over the next three years. Although the foreign workers receive temporary visas for up to six years, most historically have found ways to stay permanently in this country. Sen. Thompson voted for more foreign workers even though U.S. high tech workers over the age of 50 were suffering 17% unemployment and U.S. firms were laying off thousands of workers at the time.

Voted in committee against including worker safeguards in H-1B bill in 1998 Sen. Thompson joined 9 of his Senate colleagues to keep employee safeguards from inclusion in S.1723. A Kennedy-Feinstein Amendment would have accomplished two important goals: ensuring no American was laid off or displaced prior to hiring an H1B employee; and, that employers demonstrate they had previously taken timely and effective steps to hire a qualified American. 10 Senators helped defeat this amendment.

Voted to allow firms to lay off Americans to make room for foreign workers in 1998 Before the Senate passed the H-1B doubling bill (S.1723), Sen. Thompson had an opportunity to vote for a measure requiring U.S. firms to check a box on a form attesting that they had first sought an American worker for the job. Sen. Thompson voted against that, joining those who said the requirement would give government too much authority over corporations’ right to hire whomever they please from whatever country.

Before the Senate passed the H-1B doubling bill(S.1723), Sen. Thompson had an opportunity to vote for a Kennedy amendment that would have prohibited U.S. firms from using temporary foreign workers to replace Americans. Sen. Thompson opposed that protection. The Amendment failed 38-60.
All Fred Thompson's Immigration Votes

7 posted on 10/13/2007 11:11:17 AM PDT by redgirlinabluestate
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To: Fred

Mitt - no to visas - yes to temporary work permits for specific time periods.(no families included)


8 posted on 10/13/2007 11:15:14 AM PDT by elpadre
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To: Fred

Mitt - no to visas - yes to temporary work permits for specific time periods.(no families included)


9 posted on 10/13/2007 11:15:23 AM PDT by elpadre
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To: CheyennePress

It's McCain's Z-visa we need to worry about that confers permanent legal status on illegals. Romney vehemently condemned the Z-visa. Fred has not done so yet.

Governor Romney: "I strongly oppose today's bill going through the Senate. It is the wrong approach. Any legislation that allows illegal immigrants to stay in the country indefinitely, as the new 'Z-Visa' does, is a form of amnesty. That is unfair to the millions of people who have applied to legally immigrate to the U.S."

--->No special pathway' for those who are here illegally says Mitt Romney

PHOENIX - People in this country illegally should be given "no special pathway'' to permanent residency as part of any federal immigration reform, Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Thursday.

The former Massachusetts governor, in Arizona mainly for a fundraiser at the home of Scottsdale attorney Paul Gilbert, his state campaign chairman, said companies here do need foreign workers.

"We should have ample provisions of our visa system to bring people in as we need,'' he said.

Romney specifically said there need to be more H-1 B visas, which are designed specifically for "specialty occupations'' including computer programmers, doctors and accountants. But he said that both agriculture and the construction industry also need more workers.

But Romney said those who already are here - and may already be working at jobs - should get no special treatment. "My focus is the principle that they get in line with everybody else and have no special pathway to become a permanent resident or citizen by virtue solely of having come here illegally,'' he said.

10 posted on 10/13/2007 11:18:45 AM PDT by redgirlinabluestate
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To: Fred
One more reason to NOT vote for Mitt in the primary.

But assume his suggestion is implemented. Once these “temporary” workers are here and their “temporary” visas expire, what guarantee do we have that they will go home? NONE! And therein lies the problem. And therein lies the reason this should not be attempted.

11 posted on 10/13/2007 11:19:00 AM PDT by upchuck (Hildabeaste as Prez... unimaginable, devastating misery!)
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To: CheyennePress
I know that. I live and grew up on Cape Cod. Which now has ghettos, crime, illegals, low labor rates, higher each year crime and taxes.

So what we have is domestic private force labor that is kept down. Certain business enjoy subsidized imported labor with, in my experience, no social bond to the community and who result in local citizens paying more taxes, enduring more crime, decreasing home values in modest working class neighborhoods and all for the benefit of a few business owners.

They get the profit, we get the bill. Nice.

The price information that hotels in Wildwood can sell room at 45 dollars, or when it is good for their ox, at $250 tells you that there is room for increase in labor rates.

Anyways, this gets to my notion of Mitt the Stiff, and in general Republicans. Why would they pander to the smaller voter group? Why do not Republicans not win over working class? Why do they leave this voter block to be folded into the welfare, crime, high labor tax Democrats? The reason is the class pool that is Republican (so called) leadership. Mitt didn’t so much seem as if he was a political leader, steeped in conservatism, as much as he was a salesmen with a particular customer to put the sell on to.

12 posted on 10/13/2007 11:36:31 AM PDT by Leisler (Vote Republican, they'll increase your taxes, fines, fees and permits, 1.056% slower than Democrats!)
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To: CheyennePress

“What you tend to get are college-educated Eastern Europeans with a fabulous work ethic who are willing to put in long hours and by far outperform and are more reliable than comparable American employees—if you could even get them.”

I’ve read about the summer workers from Eastern Europe and that at least they do as you describe. Unfortunately, the far greater number of temporary workers are from south-of-the-border. They might come in legally, but more likely illegally, or they’re already here. A true temporary worker program where the workers go home makes sense, but like most everything related to immigration and illegal aliens, our government still has little or no desire to enforce the law.

What you’re describing is the exception, not the rule.


13 posted on 10/13/2007 11:53:49 AM PDT by Will88
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To: redgirlinabluestate

“Romney specifically said there need to be more H-1 B visas, which are designed specifically for “specialty occupations’’ including computer programmers, doctors and accountants. But he said that both agriculture and the construction industry also need more workers.”

We have to watch all the candidates. Some will try policies that address the illegal problem by letting so many in legally that few have reason to cross illegally. Romney seems to be headed in that direction, after talking tough enforcement for a time.

We now let in around 950,000 annually, plus around 100,000 refugees. Some of the proposals in the ‘comprehensive’ bills would have let in 4,000,000 annually or more before some amendments lowered the amount to “only” around 3,000,000, which would still have more than doubled legal immigration.

Anyone who thinks we need to hold all immigration to some reasonable level should watch these triple- talking candidates closely. Several would like to just make legal entries so high that illegal entry would be scarcely necessary.


14 posted on 10/13/2007 12:03:57 PM PDT by Will88
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To: Leisler
Mitt’s pandering.

My exact same thoughts.

15 posted on 10/13/2007 12:09:04 PM PDT by glorgau
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To: Will88
Anyone who thinks we need to hold all immigration to some reasonable level should watch these triple- talking candidates closely. Several would like to just make legal entries so high that illegal entry would be scarcely necessary.

Agreed. And, since we are probably not going to end up with President Tancredo or President Hunter, we should consider that, of the four top-tier candidates (Rudy, Mitt, Fred & John), Romney's platform on illegal immigration is the strongest:

Governor Romney proposes an immigration plan with the following features:

1. Secure The Border. Follow through on Congressional commitment to build a physical and technological fence along the southern border, and secure other points of entry. Romney strongly supports a wall, fence or other effective restraint along the U.S.-Mexico border. (Romney calls for border barrier, The Dallas Morning News, April 12, 2007)

2. Implement An Enforceable Employer Verification System. Issue a biometrically-enabled and tamperproof card to non-citizens and create a national database for non-citizens so employers can easily verify their legal status in this country. Employers that hire workers without the proper credentials are subject to fines and penalties.

3. Reject Amnesty. No special privilege or special pathway to citizenship or permanent residency for those here illegally. People who are here illegally should not get any benefit by being here and should go to the back of the line behind all those who have applied for citizenship. People here illegally should return to their home countries under a reasonable attrition program and be replaced in the work force with U.S. citizens and legal immigrants. For the 12+ million illegal aliens in the country now, Romney favors immediate deportation of convicted criminal illegal aliens and deportation of illegal aliens who refuse to get off public welfare assistance. For the remaining illegal aliens already in the country, Romney would support offering a temporary work visa which includes biometric identification data. The temporary work visa would be required to remain in the country and employed and would not be renewable. The illegal aliens who decide to stay and apply for the temporary work visa must return to their home country after the term of the temporary visa expires (for example, 6 months). They would be eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship from their home country and would enter the process at the back of the line behind all other applicants.

4. Punish Sanctuary Cities. Cut back federal funding to cities that are “sanctuaries” for illegal immigrants and refuse to comply with federal law or aid federal law enforcement.

5. Improve Interior Enforcement. Provide resources to enforce immigration laws throughout the nation, and crackdown on employers who continue to hire illegals with stiffer fines and penalties.


16 posted on 10/13/2007 12:16:12 PM PDT by redgirlinabluestate
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To: Fred

Seasonal visa workers have existed for decades. They are common in the pochonos and and farming.

Seasonal visa workers are far better than “path to citizenship guest visa” amnesty workers.

Seasonal visas are true guest visas because the worker MUST return and the visa is NON-convertable.


17 posted on 10/13/2007 12:33:23 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Fred
Fred Thompson on a path to citizenship: “[B]ecause we allowed ourselves to wait until we woke up one day and found 12 million illegals here, there’s no easy solution. And I think that you have to realize that you’re either going to drive 12 million people underground permanently, which is not a good solution. You’re going to get them all together and get them out of the country, which is not going to happen. Or you’re going to have to, in some way, work out a deal where they can have some aspirations of citizenship, but not make it so easy that it’s unfair to the people waiting in line and abiding by the law.” (Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes,” 4/3/06)

Fred Thompson on the problems with cracking down on employers: “We haven’t enforced the law, in terms of employers. … For 20 years, we’ve not enforced the law, and that’s a part of the problem. You can’t enforce it all on the backs of the employers. People falsify information that they give employers and all that. That’s not a solution to the problem.” (Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes,” 4/3/06)

Fred Thompson on his skepticism of a brick-and-mortar border fence: FOX’s ALAN COLMES: “You don’t put up a fence, either, do you? Is that bad neighbor policy, put a fence up?” THOMPSON: “If it would work. I mean, I don’t know – that’s a technical problem. In this day and age, I would not think you would have to use bricks and mortar to get that job done. But we ought to do everything that we can to get it done to the extent that we can and then, as I say, I think people would be willing to take a look at the rest of the problem, what we do with the problem that we created.” (Fox News’ “Hannity & Colmes,” 4/3/06)

Fred Thompson on enforcement first: “We woke up one day after years of neglect and apparently discovered that we have somewhere between 12 million and 20 million illegal aliens in this country. So it became an impossible situation to deal with. I mean, there’s really no good solution. So what do you do? You have to start over. Well, I’m concerned about the next 12 million or 20 million. So that’s why enforcement, and enforcement at the border, has to be primary.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 3/11/07)

Fred Thompson on not rounding up illegal immigrants: “You know, if you have the right kind of policies, and you’re not encouraging people to come here and encouraging them to stay once they’re here, they’ll go back, many of them, of their own volition, instead of having to, you know, load up moving vans and rounding people up. That’s not going to happen.” (Fox’s “Fox News Sunday,” 3/11/07)

18 posted on 10/13/2007 12:53:48 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah (Romney Republican)
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To: redgirlinabluestate

“Agreed. And, since we are probably not going to end up with President Tancredo or President Hunter, we should consider that, of the four top-tier candidates (Rudy, Mitt, Fred & John), Romney’s platform on illegal immigration is the strongest:”

Definitely far better than Rudy and McCain. Thompson’s still beating around the bush on the issue.

But it’s strange that remembering the 1986 debate there was usually talk of numbers, the total number of immigrants various proposals would allow in legally. None of that this year, certainly not from any candidates or legislators. Only from a few think tanks and other observers.

Total numbers are important or voters have no real gauge for what various proposals might really do via legal immigration.


19 posted on 10/13/2007 12:58:54 PM PDT by Will88
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To: Fred
"I'm not going to leave America's employers without the capacity to meet the needs of our consuming public," he said.

Mitt! Much of that 'consuming public', as much as 30 million should have never been allowed in.

I wonder if he realizes how dysfunctional our 'visa' approval systems are? He was sounding pretty good for a while, but he needs an education on this subject.

20 posted on 10/13/2007 1:03:40 PM PDT by AuntB (" It takes more than walking across the border to be an American." Duncan Hunter)
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