Anger in Downturn Turns Against Foreign-Born Workers

Washington Post ^ | Sunday, September 9, 2001 | Carrie Johnson

[busybody]

Click on source for full text article in the WP.

[busybody]

As a recently unemployed technology worker, I say its time to send them home to India and China. We need to put Americans back to work again before we offer high wage jobs to foreign workers.

[Marine Inspector]

Thats what us in the INS wants also, but the Dems and the employer's want the H-1B's to stay.

Why pay you $100,000 a year, when we can pay Mr. Sigh $50,000.

[ClaireSolt]

I heard the other day that 35% of MD's in America are Indian. We need to build Medical schools for American kids to learn to be MDs. My brother, a systems analyst, says there are lots of problems communicating with the H1B's and then there is the BO.

[Stainsoul]

We need to start thinking about the american worker period. And to all the freepers who think american workers dont work as hard as the foreign workers are misguided fools. I don't know anybody that works less than ten hours anymore,plus the fact that america has the most efficient workforce in the world. I hear these small business owners calling the radio talk shows always complaining how they can't get good american workers anymore and mexican workers are the only workers who'll do the grunt work. Well nobody thinks twice when a business shuts down and lays off all its workers and relocates to china or mexico. So if a small business can't think of a way to survive without illegal aliens than maybe it should fall by the wayside just like those workers who got laid off because we are told by the free traders that is the nature of business.

[det dweller too]

The H1-B program exploits the most vulnerable and desperate and really screws the techies all for the sake of putting money in the boss's pocket. This is a program calculated to foment hatred [and eventually violence] among those who have to work by pitting one group against another. The H1-B types will work for any wage to keep their visa, and the boss uses this desperation to hold everyone elses pay down. You hear constant reports of CEOs and upper management types getting 20-50% raises while the cubicle dwellers are lucky to keep up with inflation. There have been many reports in the news that the last several years have had the largest increase in wage gap between rich and poor. This H1-B is a big part of that.

[Marine Inspector]

LOL.

[Satadru]

Cant take a little competition, huh. Even if you send them work, you can always send the work to India and China.

[Satadru]

Sorry about your job loss though. Hope you find one soon.

[Satadru]

Noone thinks American workforce is lazy. Companies want H1B workers so they can pay them less. BTW, if you had your own software company, you would do that as well. Otherwise, you will not be a good capitalist.

[Satadru]

There have been many reports in the news that the last several years have had the largest increase in wage gap between rich and poor.

Socialist alert!

[Satadru]

We need to build Medical schools for American kids to learn to be MDs.

Are you suggesting we do not have enough American doctors because there aren't enough medical schools?

[EastCoast]

Let's not forget Ireland as well. They've been working their little heads/hands off doing all the tech work being sent to them by companies in/from this country for how many years now? At least since the '80s I believe.

[Satadru]

You are right. A lot of high tech American companies have their European HQ in Ireland. Part of the reason is that it is a tax-haven. But it is also a source of cheaper labor. It is after Ireland got saturated that these companies started looking at the third world.

[XBob]

sandru - I am a good capitalist. Please give me your profession and company, so I can offer your boss a good foreign worker, at half your salary, to take your job.

The foreign worker makes good money, I make some money, your boss saves some money, and That way, I can be a good capitalist, and you can compete.

Please give me your profession and company.

[Satadru]

Do you think my boss doesn't already know? Why do you think I am up at this hour still working?

[XBob]

yes - the government is paying medical schools not to teach medicine, as there are too many doctors, just like they pay farmers not to grow crops.

[brat]

You all have my sympathy! The good news is that perhaps we will gain many anti-amnesty and anti-worker program advocates! We also may gain support for the anti-NAFTA etc. conservatives who have suffered for 10 years under this "cheap labor" ruse! We never did get to enjoy that BOOM that everyone else did. And now Bush wants to allow Mexicans in to make things worse for us! It's time the American citizens got a break!

[XBob]

"Let's not forget Ireland as well. They've been working their little heads/hands off doing all the tech work being sent to them by companies in/from this country for how many years now? At least since the '80s I believe."

Yes, they are closing the new factories in Ireland and moving them to China - just like Gateway did a few months ago.

[Satadru]

You should target the AMA. The AMA discourages people to be doctors. It takes about ten years or more to be a functioning surgeon, after college. Most people do not want to make that kind of commitment. But it applies to foreign doctors as well.

[XBob]

15 - ah, you work for the Free Republic -

Please give me your profession and company, so I can tailor a special offer for your boss, as he may not be aware of how much money he can save.

Here he thinks you are working. Lazy american worker.