Posted on 03/10/2016 9:46:06 AM PST by ConservingFreedom
Donald Trump won the South Carolina primary across the board, but he did particularly well with the 10 percent of voters who named immigration as the nation's top issue. In addition, some who named other issues -- the economy, national security -- were undoubtedly also concerned about immigration, and Trump's hard line likely helped him with them, too.
Which is why people who follow immigration closely were stunned Thursday night when Trump, at the Fox News debate here in Detroit, announced that he has changed his position on one key element of the immigration debate -- the use of H-1B visas to bring skilled foreign workers into the United States.
In the distant past -- say, yesterday -- Trump focused on abuses in the system, in which some big companies have been caught using H-1Bs to bring in foreign workers, force American employees to train their own replacements, and then pay the foreign worker less than the American had made -- all to do mostly routine jobs in the tech industry.
At his recent rally in Alabama -- the one in which Trump received the endorsement of Sen. Jeff Sessions, Congress' strongest voice against expanding the troubled H-1B program -- Trump also won the endorsement of some American workers who were victims of H-1B abuse at Disney.
"The fact is that Americans are losing their jobs to foreigners," one of the laid-off workers told the crowd. "I believe Mr. Trump is for Americans first."
In Detroit, Fox News' Megyn Kelly pointed out that Trump's campaign website has a strong statement against increasing the number of H-1Bs, saying it would "decimate American workers," and yet in one debate Trump spoke favorably of the program. "So, which is it?" Kelly asked.
"I'm changing," Trump said. "I'm changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can't do it, we'll get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have."
"So, we do need highly skilled," Trump continued, "and one of the biggest problems we have is people go to the best colleges. They'll go to Harvard, they'll go to Stanford, they'll go to Wharton, as soon as they're finished they'll get shoved out. They want to stay in this country. They want to stay here desperately, they're not able to stay here. For that purpose, we absolutely have to be able to keep the brain power in this country.
"So you are abandoning the position on your website?" asked Kelly.
"I'm changing it," Trump said, "and I'm softening the position because we have to have talented people in this country."
Trump's turnaround sent a jolt through the group of policy wonks and activists who have opposed Gang of Eight-style comprehensive immigration reform. "I've heard from enough tech workers displaced by H-1Bs that Trump's apparent answer very dispiriting," tweeted the writer Mickey Kaus. "Clarification?"
Mark Krikorian, head of the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors reducing levels of immigration into the U.S., was not impressed. "(Trump) made clear in October he didn't believe what's in his immigration paper about skilled immigration," Krikorian told me by email after the debate, "and at the last debate he showed he buys the 'jobs Americans won't do' line on unskilled workers too."
"So will he 'clarify' his 'I'm softening' comment tomorrow, like he did after the October debate?" Krikorian continued. "His embrace of foreign tech workers is particularly shocking given that just days ago he featured American workers replaced by Disney at one of his rallies."
Even as Krikorian was typing his email to me, Trump was at work doing just what Krikorian predicted. "Megyn Kelly asked about highly skilled immigration," Trump said in a clarification statement sent to reporters about an hour after the debate ended. "The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration: these are temporary foreign workers, imported from abroad, for the explicit purpose of substituting for American workers at lower pay. I remain totally committed to eliminating rampant, widespread H-1B abuse and ending outrageous practices such as those that occurred at Disney in Florida when Americans were forced to train their foreign replacements. I will end forever the use of the H-1B as a cheap labor program, and institute an absolute requirement to hire American workers first for every visa and immigration program. No exceptions."
It would be hard to imagine a quicker or more complete flip-flop. [...]
Trump said in last week's debate: "I’m changing it, and I’m softening the position".
He stated the next morning that he wasn't talking about H-1B: "Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration".
So what WAS he talking about? What's his new position and how was his old position different? Will he ever tell us?
I am not talking about line developers and analysts and DBAs. I am talking about high-skilled positions, such as system architects. Persons like that do tend to create more jobs in their organizations. I think the Japanese model handles it best - the person has to be paid 125 percent of average for the position. That way, the person brought in truly has to be very good at what they do.
Cruz for President.
If Ted Cruz said “”I’m changing,” Trump said. “I’m changing. We need highly skilled people in this country, and if we can’t do it, we’ll get them in. But, and we do need in Silicon Valley, we absolutely have to have.”
The trump supporters would go nuts
What do you think Trump is promoting when he says, “we’re sending them back and “the good ones” can come back in? It is called “touchback” and it is one of the key provisions in the Gang of Eight bill. In fact, when he refers to the good ones being allowed back in, it is again a factor in The Gang of Eight. What someone,,somewhere needs to ask Trump is what is your plan for the good ones once they come back in.....amnesty, pathway to citizenship, entitlement? He has NEVER addressed this and as long as he can get away with it, he won’t.
That's what the Free Traitors claim as they undercut American wages.
That is in essence the policy in most countries. Exceptions are based on colonial legacies (British Commonwealth) and treaty (European Union). So a German doesn't need to jump through hoops to get a work permit for a job in France, and an Indian or Australian can come into Britain and find work. But an American and his prospective employer have to demonstrate that he or she has qualifications which no native possesses. That should be the rule and strictly enforced here for all jobs.
Donald “”I’m changing, I’m changing” Trump.
What other deeply held belief will Donald change on a whim? The wall? Illegal immigration? Gun control? Who knows.
He has SESSIONS as his advisor. Looks like Jeff got a ping.
Trump’s supposed flip-flop during that debate was probably due to the enforced boredom of having to listen to Kasich. I would assume a fellow debater has to go through the process of shutting him ot to avoid psychic pain, and also being alert because he may attack you and you will have to respond to him. I noticed that my mind begins to wonder whenever Kasich speaks during the debate, and I have started to hit the mute button whenever he speaks. It started when he said something like, “We should all come together and love one another,” or when he walked forward and embraced the weepy guy begging for a hug.
...from another National Review Online mouthpiece....
Bingo.
“Trump said in last week’s debate: “I’m changing it, and I’m softening the position”.
He stated the next morning that he wasn’t talking about H-1B: “Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration”.
So what WAS he talking about? What’s his new position and how was his old position different? Will he ever tell us?”
do you realize how stupidly petty you people are...is there any length or distortion that is too much for you that your integrity whispers...stop doing that?
So may things wrong with this question. Trump does not have supporters he has followers. Don't believe me? They all take an oath to follow him at his rallys.
Trump followers will consistently follow whatever blather Trump is speaking, despite flip flopping in less than 2 hours.
I mean they took an oath.
Trump clarified his stand shortly after the last debate w/regard to H1B visas. His position was that he does not favor the use of H1B visas in order to replace available, qualified U.S. workers w/foreign workers solely for the purpose of cutting costs.
Such actions are prohibited under the current H1B visa legislation and were never the INTENT of the H1B Visa program. Unfortunately, many unscrupulous employers, such as Disney, have done just that and have even required the U.S. workers to train foreigners hired to replace them.
The only area where Trump believes H1B visas would be warranted is where qualified, highly skilled U.S. workers are not available and where the hiring company could prove this is the situation prior to the issuance of the visa. (He mentioned Silicon Valley specifically during the interview.)
You obviously missed that he was joking about that.
Incidentally, I would hold the total number of immigrants granted permanent status to under 100,000 a year; and I would restore the National Origins formula to apportion that limited number. But the point you make here, is not an indictment of Trump--not at all, even if he would allow a few thousand more folk in than I would. He is the one who has done more to stiffen America's backbone on this issue, than any other living person.
He stated the next morning that he wasn't talking about H-1B: "Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration".
So what WAS he talking about? What's his new position and how was his old position different? Will he ever tell us?
do you realize how stupidly petty you people are...is there any length or distortion that is too much for you that your integrity whispers...stop doing that?
What a cowardly nonresponse you have posted.
Trump said in the debate: "I'm changing it, and I'm softening the position".
He stated the next morning that he wasn't talking about H-1B: "Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration".
So what WAS he talking about? What's his new position and how was his old position different? Will he ever tell us?
Trump said in last week's debate: "I'm changing it, and I'm softening the position".
He stated the next morning that he wasn't talking about H-1B: "Megyn Kelly asked about highly-skilled immigration. The H-1B program is neither high-skilled nor immigration".
So what WAS he talking about? What's his new position and how was his old position different? Will he ever tell us?
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