Greenspan: H-1B cap would make U.S. workers 'privileged elite'

[OhioChick]

Tells Senate subcommittee quota too small, would protect workers from global competition

April 30, 2009 (Computerworld) WASHINGTON - Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan today offered a spirited defense of the controversial H-1B program, telling a U.S. Senate subcommittee that the visa quota is "far too small to meet the need," and that it protects U.S. workers from global competition, creating a "privileged elite."

Greenspan, testifying on immigration reform before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship, said more skilled immigration was needed "as the economy copes with the forthcoming retirement wave of skilled Baby Boomers."

This hearing was called by subcommittee chairman, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), to encourage the U.S. senate to take up immigration, despite the economy. Greenspan was the marquee witness.

Greenspan provided a list of reasons for increasing skilled competition. One in particular, would help fix a problem -- the housing bubble -- that grew on his watch as Fed chair, a position he held from 1987 to 2006.

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132438

Snip~ "Sens. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill), recently introduced legislation that would restrict the use of the H-1B visas. The measure is particularly aimed at offshore outsourcing companies, and would require them to increase the size of their U.S. workforces under a rule that would prohibit them with having more than 50% of their workforce from using H-1B or L-1 visas, which are used for company transfers. They argue that the visa is displacing workers."

[antigop]

1. Does anyone listen to Greenscam anymore? I hope not. n/t

[bemildred]

2. Oh heck yeah, we don't want any privileged elites, do we?

What a moron.

[LynneSin]

3. Elite for what? Wanting to hire Americans first before foreigners

And when I mean "Americans" I mean americans of all nationalities that are already citizens here in this country

[ixion]

4. a "privileged elite"? Oh, please

:eyes:

This member of the REAL "privileged elite" simply wants to keep highly-skilled US workers competing for wages paid in India. :grr:

[Raster]

5. Greenspan = corporate whore*

*Mr. "Irrational Exuberance" himself. Never met a numbered bank account he didn't like and one of the top ten reasons this country is in the financial shiter.

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. Without a cap, there will soon be no US workers

Many of the tech workers I know are currently unemployed, their jobs "exported" to H1-B workers they were forced to train.

[WestSeattle2]

21. Exactly. His comments make my blood boil. n/t

[safeinOhio]

7. It'd be nice

to see a million IT workers and adjunct teachers show up at his house. Bring torches and pitchforks.

[ljm2002]

8. So let me get this straight...

...we have to let an unlimited number of workers into the country, because that's the only way we can claim to be "globally competitive".

At the same time, we must stand idly by while an unlimited number of jobs are exported overseas -- again, because otherwise we are not "globally competitive".

Who the hell does Greenspan think he is, disparaging American workers as the "privileged elite"??? It is Greenspan and his ilk who are the privileged elite!!! They won't be happy until all workers everywhere are barefoot and working for subsistence wages, while the real privileged elites enjoy the fruits of their massive theft and snicker behind the closed doors of their gated communities.

What continues to amaze me, is how the American workers do not rise up against these overlords and just say "Enough!"...

Workers of the World, Unite!

Happy May Day, I guess.

[YOY]

9. Don't they know that American IT workers' places are in fast food? Fuck them and their education!

n/t

[blueworld]

10. Alan's off his meds again, I guess

This so-called economy certainly won't have to worry about any of us'n Baby Boomers retiring, thanks to Greenspan's decades of economic bubbling!

I'll have to work two weeks after I'm dead to pay for my funeral - my family can rent out my occupied casket as a banquet table for a hoedown at the local Moose Lodge. If they can afford a cheap, white tablecloth.

Why does anyone who is not in a nursing home, and hard-of-hearing, listen to anything this fool says??? His great track record?

Some skilled Baby Boomers are now working at non-unionized Wal-Marts part-time with no benefits - many of the rest are still unemployed. Or they get "technician" jobs (if they're lucky) complete with a 20K annual cut in pay & are grateful they won't lose their homes.

This old bass turd makes me so mad even I can't believe it. I hope someone hits him with a cream pie the next time he shows his face.

:grr: :grr: :grr:

[LongTomH]

27. You're right about the Baby Boomers not retiring!

This so-called economy certainly won't have to worry about any of us'n Baby Boomers retiring, thanks to Greenspan's decades of economic bubbling!

One of the 'megatrends' of recent decades is the increasing number of older workers remaining in the workforce past 'retirement' age. Sometimes that's because they want to stay active; more often it's due to economic necessity. Pensions have been frozen and/or replaced by 401K plans, and with the bust, the 401K is more like a '101K.'

Meanwhile, conservative pundits are telling kids that a shitload of jobs will soon be available due to the hordes of baby boomers retiring. Yeah! Kids, you're going to be competing with Grandpa and Grandma for the low pay, shit-shoveling, brain-deadening, soul-sucking jobs that are all that's left in this economy.

[Joanne98]

11. grrrrrrrr

[supernova]

12. Let's outsource Greenspan

I'm sure there's a developing world economist with just as much euducation and savvy and Greenspan that will work for 1/3 the salary.

:eyes:

[Phred42]

13. He is not an American.

His world view does not include The United States as a sovereign Nation.
He is a miserable anti-American piece of shit. The sooner he goes to the Fascist Happy Hunting grounds the better for America and Humanity

Phuck him

thanks for posting OhioChick

[musette_sf]

14. oh, by all means, let's keep making sure that the only "privileged elite"

are the uber-rich and connected. G-d forbid some very smart and hardworking Non Old Boys Club people should get a leg up.

[nichomachus]

15. Just more proof that there is no god

The idea of Greenspan talking about a "privileged elite" as a bad thing should merit a lightning bolt or two -- if there were a just god.

[OhioChick]

16. There's a special place in hell reserved for Greenspan.

:D

[musette_sf]

18. next to Milton Friedman

:evilgrin:

[mule_train]

24. milton friedman called H-1b a subsidy from the middle class to corporations

milton friedman was at least an idiological purist

greenspan's just plain scum

[Canuckistanian]

17. Yeah! You American workers need to learn some humility!

Get off your high horse and STOP expecting a living wage, you pampered lower(and formerly middle)-class losers!

[Jim Sagle]

19. Fix the housing bubble? Who put the sleeping pills in his baby food?

The housing bubble's BEEN fixed. We now have an overload of vacant houses, dirt cheap. I guess the "solution" is to bring in a load of new H1-Bs to occupy them, along with our jobs. :argh:

[blue97keet]

20. Like we hav'nt already got a "privileged elite." protected from global

competition by bonuses and golden parachutes ? (and it ain't U.S. workers). Who invited Greenspan to make an idiot of himself at a congressional hearing AGAIN?

[Hugin]

22. No, it would make us 'citizens' in our own country...

You should look up that word, 'citizen' Alan.

Now, I'm all for immigration... Really! But, the H1-B program is a disservice to both earnest immigrants and citizens. It only benefits business interests... Hell, not even Government. Contrary to Diana Farrell and others outsourcing and H1-Bs are lose-lose propositions.

[lumberjack_jeff]

23. News flash Alan: privileged elites are less likely to wield torches and pitchforks. n/t

[mule_train]

25. greenspan resents a 'privilaged elite'?

tells you all you need to know about this mean spirited old goat

saw him interviewed on 6t0 minutes or something

incredibly narcissistic old prick

almost as bad as bill gates

[mule_train]

26. greenspan's always had it in for tech workers

supressing their wages has heen his solution for every screwup he's done to the economy

the truth is, he's not for workers participating in 'greater prosperity', he's for smashing all of them

tech workers were logically the leading edge of what should have been better wages and working conditions in a classical 'free market'

that's why they had to be demolished

greenspan couldnt be further away from 'free markets if he tried

he's for RIGGED marketsw, to serve a privilaged elite, that tech workers have never been a part of

[Doctor_J]

28. I wonder if a prison sentence would SHUT GREENSPAN UP

He's one of the key architects of the current DEPRESSION.