Reply #8: Here's something to consider...

[Virginian]

How many H-1b visas were issued during that same time period.

Outsourcing is a problem with IT jobs, but before that was popular, companies were crying that they could not find enough trained Americans to employ for the Y2K "crisis," so they started importing workers. I could see it for the Y2K conversions, but that hype was four years ago.

The employers found that most H-1b workers didn't have families here and would work all kinds of hours and put up with things that erode family life. I dare say American workers would not work 6 or 7 days a week for the same pay as a 40 hour week. Not on a regular basis anyway. If the H-1b complained, there was always the threat to send him home.

So when you look at those stats of the number of people employed in this country, try to determine how many Americans are employed in this country by subtracting how many people were brought in "temporarily" to work here.