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''We're living in a global economy, and there shouldn't be any barriers,''
That would be true IF the companies that hire H1-B's play by the rules. As I understand it the H1-B's have to adide by whatever the employer demands of them or they're on the next boat back to their home country as there is no one to sponsor them.
That's how employers can get away with paying sub-market wages: the people from India and such don't know about real wages over here, cost of living, etc. But its too late once they accept the job -- they're pretty much indentured servants now.
Yes there are some laws against this (employers are supposed to pay prevailing wages, and a recent court case against Infobahn that an ex-employee didn't have to pay visa costs) but I don't think this is in America's best interest. Is it the government's duty to supply cheap labor for employers?

The current ceiling expires next year and will revert to the original limit of 65,000 if no action is taken.

Around here, a lot of techies who worked in year 2000 conversions and for startups found themselves looking for jobs. Unemployment is still low, so I imagine that most found a way to work or get by.

But, these were temporary visas. And, these are intelligent and educated people. If they went to their homelands, they could bring their ideals of accomplishment and democracy with them, and do a lot more to spread our ideals world wide than having than having to fight wars will do.

Maybe the state colleges and universities are going to have to do a better job training people for these jobs, since so many seats in the private universities go to foreign students.

But some labor economists suggest it may be short-sighted to trim the H1-B visa program now. They predict there will be an upsurge in the number of biologists and scientists needed in the growing bio-tech field, especially in Boston.

Great, let us move American scientists to the service jobs.

The lobby for inport of cheaper foreign labour does not change its stand. See: Living Today: Issues of modern living
Companies throughout the industrialized world soon will face a huge shortage of skilled labor, which accentuates the acute need for effective succession planning, according to a Pennsylvania State University human resources expert. "With a massive baby boomer retirement wave close at hand, prolonged vacancies in critical positions could mean a crisis for organizations perhaps equal to that posed by corporate bankruptcies and accounting firm gaffes," says William J. Rothwell, professor of workforce education and development. In the past, organizations faced with a scarcity of skilled labor could import workers from overseas. This might become less feasible in light of the current War on Terrorism and increased restrictions on visa applications. The customary job description focuses on what people do rather than on results obtained. Competency modeling is based on people analysis and to spot the exemplary performer. "The exemplary performer may be as much as 20 times more productive than his or her average-performing counterparts in the same job category," Rothwell says. In theory, by lifting all performers up to levels closer to those of the superstar performer in each job category, an organization could get up to 20 times the output from existing staff, Rothwell says.

''We should have a free trade of skills. If someone is coming in from outside the country it's because they have an edge over you. It's not like you're giving jobs away.''

[sarcasm] Gee, that must be why India imports thousands of American workers, right?

It's time this country stopped being everyone's chump.

If someone is coming in from outside the country it's because they have an edge over you.

And they're either given lower wages or fewer benefits. In fact folks, "excessive" benefits is what the companies DON'T want to pay. Take health care, for example. An over 40 worker simply, on a statistical average, needs more. Younger and foreign workers need less. Also, why hire someone who's going to cost the company lots of money in 10-15-20 years due to retirement? There is CERTAINLY discrimination of older workers in the high tech fields. From an economic sense, to the companies, it makes sense. But try finding a job at 55, say. I am only 44, and have a secure job (now), but geesh, it's a concern. Too many of my older brethren are having problems.