useful information can come from pretty much anywhere I'm hesitant to take anything published by Nat. Review at face value.

When the article is written by one Stephen Camarota from CIS it really gets my Nativist asshole radar going and I'll pass on reading it unless you or someone else can vouch that it's sources at least pass the smell test of reality.

http://www.splcenter.org/publications/the-nativist-lobby-three-faces-of-intolerance/cis-the-independent-think-tank

http://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-3/an-overview-of-employment.htm

Specifically:

Real shortages do not produce wages that are only 1.7 times the average for all occupations. If you'd like an example of what a real shortage does, take a look at construction wages in North Dakota.

so corporations will continue to skirt the law to hire staff via H1B visas.

"I love it when a DU'er complains about unemployment with his shiny degree in Anthropology or Art History...

My advice to any young person is Chemistry, Engineering, Math, Sciences and CIS. The rest isn't education it's a hobby."

http://www.discussionist.com/10153470#post110

Fucking amazing. Quite positive 60%+ of American professionals will be happy to know that conservatives consider what they do a "hobby".

Immelt's job's council recommended expanding the H1-b program and the president agrees.

As the poster above pointed out, the primary "shortage" seems to be of highly educated workers willing to accept fast food wages.

STEM salaries were starting to bump into management's pay scale. Can't have Those People™ getting paid like they're important!

So the shortage claim started, along with the "temporary" program to deal with the shortage. We'd temporarily import some STEM workers until US schools graduate more STEM workers. And since it's temporary, it's OK to slap all sorts of terrible restrictions on those visas.

Just pay no attention to the minor detail that this temporary program is wrapping up its second decade.

Last edited Tue May 20, 2014, 06:01 PM - Edit history (1)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024892254

is it just to sell seats in college classes, or is it more of an institutional motive? ("chiropracty will bring about a new Dark Age! waaah&quot

on us again and again.

Students from poor households do poorly? Blame the Teachers
US College graduates can't find decent paying jobs because of all the H1's? Blame the STEM's shortage.
Corporations work for the .001% at everyone else's expense? Blame the unions.
Politicians work for the same .001% at the expense of everyone else? Blame the Voters.

25+ years in the engineering industry here. The result is highly dependent on the economy.

There was a severe shortage of Engineers in the early 2000's when houses were getting built and property taxes were going up. Along with rising property taxes, there were also lots of impact fees paid by all that new housing.

Communities were investing in new parks, water systems, roads, etc. During that time, it was very difficult to hire and keep Engineers. Salaries went way up.

Then the bottom dropped out in about 2006. it was 2 years ahead of everybody else because we are the canary in the coal mine. Projects that don't get designed in 2006 are the ones that did not get built in 2008.

Layoffs were wide spread with many engineering firms dropping below 50% of there 2005 size. Wages backtracked and haven't recovered since.

This kind of bubble is much more difficult to recover from because it is literally structural in nature. An internet bubble can burst and lose a lot of value but when recovery comes, all new investment is needed. When a housing bubble burst, the inventory is still there. A recovery just fills empty houses (or offices, stores etc.) for an extended period of time, Real growth doesn't take place until the back inventory is filled.

The big picture is that the engineering industry continues to be depressed so jobs are limited. But that is not the long term outlook as long as there is at least a moderate commitment to infrastructure spending. But that is a big IF.