It's Equal Opportunity, Stupid

Forget arguing wages, economics and trashing the middle class with "free-trade" Republicans and deaf, dumb and blind Democrats. They could care less what happens to us!

Focus on this: The most obvious legal problem with the H-1B/L-1 is that it enables age and racial discrimination. Besides, this is what the Democratic Party has to respond to.

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It's Equal Opportunity, Stupid

Forget arguing wages, economics and trashing the middle class with "free-trade" Republicans and deaf, dumb and blind Democrats. They could care less what happens to us!Focus on this: The most obvious legal problem with the H-1B/L-1 is that it enables age and racial discrimination. Besides, this is what the Democratic Party has to respond to.

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It's Equal Opportunity, Stupid

Specifics please. We need a study which verifies widespread
discrimination against Americans, discrimination against citizenship status
within our own country. I agree that global labor arbitrage hurts US
domestic diversity worst, especially in STEM for it is already
discriminatory
against women, blacks, Hipanics, especially older workers.

But, we need specifics. Do you have any relevant studies to use?

EP is a community economics blog, it's not just a blog on insourcing
(H-1B, L-1).

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RE: It's Equal Opportunity, Stupid

Rob,
 
If there were studies that demostrated that the H-1B/L-1 enabled age, gender and racial discrimination, we would probably not be having this discussion - or at least, we would be in a much better situation.
 
When proving racial discrimination, the DOJ simply looked at the numbers and- where there were relatively few women and minorities, the civil rights division could frequently conclude that discrimination was taking place. 
What if Congress asked WIPRO, INFOSYSTEMS and TCS for a breakdown of their US consultants by race, age and gender? 
 
"Studies" are only relevant if people are going to read them and only relevant for those in Congress who want to hear the truth.  Let's not make this an academic exercise.  We have to focus on building a movement.
 
Mike

It's Equal Opportunity, Stupid

To approach Congress with this claim, you need statistical data to back
it up as well as personal testimony. What I am suggesting
is to write up a paper to present to Congress with as much inferred
statistics as are possible to obtain and also try to get experts to
analyze this
from a discrimination against US citizens for jobs within their own
country.

You cannot just claim something with no evidence, walk into Congress and
expect them to listen. As it is, we have numerous papers, studies,
statistics
proving there is no worker shortage in STEM as well as many other areas
and they do not listen at all. They are simply hell bent on doing as
Bill Gates
et. al dictates and damn the facts. To not have facts as well the
argument this is an EEOC issue is hopeless. Also, you do not want to
present the case
that somehow foreigners should be not discriminated against for jobs
within the US. It must be US citizens first for US jobs, US citizens
preferred for jobs
within their own country. Call it an affirmative action program for US
citizens. ;)

I should also note that Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is a Republican (R-IA)
is one of our best advocates, so do not believe that only Democrats
would stop this
especially since Nancy Pelosi has increasing H-1B on her agenda to bring
to the House floor, as well as the F-4.

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RE: It's Equal Opportunity, Stupid

Rob,
 
I did not mean to imply that Democrats are morally superior to Republicans (or anyone else).
But the Democratic Party has to listen to us because we vote for the economic self-interest of the vast majority of the American people.
 
The Republican base doesn't have to listen to their "identity" voters.  I don't understand these people, but there were enough of them to elect W twice.  What will the Democratic leadership do when the Black Caucus or NOW finds out who the real losers are?  I don't know if you're old enough to remember when there were blacks and women in real jobs in IT- but I do.  Damn few now.
 
It's not my job nor is it within my power,  to subpena the records of the largest LCA applicants.  Congress will do that when we have the muscle to make them.  We've got to get past the "preaching to the choir" stage and stage and start going to the house members in our districts.  I've already done that and forced my rep to (at least) hear me out.  She will stand with us if we give her a place to stand.
 
BTW- EP is the blog I've seen! 
 
Mike Rothschlid