Gates Calls for Increase in Tech Labor Supply

Randeep Igochyorjob writes "Reuters is reporting that Bill Gates is asking for the removal of quotas for guest workers by removing the caps on non-immigrant alien workers. In a mild attempt at balance, buried near the end of the story, the article also says "Undersecretary of Commerce Phil Bond, a top Bush administration technology official, pointed out that the unemployment rate for engineers is above the national average." I'm wondering if raising wages might attract the "needed" workers from domestic sources or is Gate's request "necessary to remain competitive and innovative"."

Comments

what fifty billion could buy

[victorvodka]

50 billion is such a large quantity of money that just by spending it semi-strategically it leads to vast returns. If Gates' concern is about America being left in the dust, he could do well by encouraging things that once made America an attractive place for intelligent people to come. One thing that needs to end RIGHT NOW is the increasing dominance of America by religious extremists. These people do not believe in asking questions, performing experiments, or ideas that came after the various gospels. These people benefit from CD players and incandescent lightbulbs, but they act as if we'd be happier with a fully medieval mindset. Take for example, their advocacy of the teaching of Creationism or "Intelligent Design" in public school. To teach these things, a teacher must convince a child to deny what is observed and believe something on faith. What kind of semiconductors will a mind molded this way be able to imagine? Never even mind that - what kind of plumber can think that way? Have you ever had faith-based plumbing or electrical work done on your home?

Bill Gates needs to be fighting the imposition of faith-based culture or soon enough we'll be the technological equals of Tragicistan.

not smart enough to ask for the same salary?

[jogbra]

I like the assumption that employees on H1 visas have a different pay scale, performance reviews, etc. Unless you can provide proof that this is the case you should avoid speaking of what you know nothing about...

...or maybe...

[whoisshe]

...this is just further evidence of microsoft stroking the current administration's pecker by diluting the labor supply to make it cheaper for big business.

much like they're stroking the administration by paying ultra-reactionary ultra-religious RALPH REED $20,000 per month.

i wonder what that's for. maybe the bush administration is going to expedite patent protection for microsoft.

Re:Typical Rich Bastard

[NanoGator]

"He believes in capitalism when it works for him. When it doesn't he cries to the guvmnt for help for his poor poor self like any welfare queen."

Gee, a business man wants to keep the numbers going up. Tee hee giggle snort.

Ever notice that Lawyers agree with the law when it's in their favor and try to twist it when it's not? Gimme a +3 Funny!!

Of course he's seeking technolgy talent....

[bergeron76]

All of the talented techie people won't go near his garbage software company.

Sorry Bill. If you can't schmooze technology talent here in the US, you certainly won't be able to schmooze technology talent in the rest of the world.

You shit on them, don't you remember? Where were you when the rest of the world was asking you for help?

Re:Cashing in on ...

[Master of Transhuman]

"No, what Bill wants are the best employees"

Bwahahahahahahah!!!

Yeah, right, moron.

Bill wants cheap assholes he can use to pile more useless features into his already useless crap.

That's why he told people years ago that Microsoft could hire twice as many women at half the pay and they would do the grunt work because "they're only women."

So now it's "foreigners" he can hire for half the pay to do the grunt work, since his wife might be irritated if he kept shafting women.

He's a fucking greedy, unprincipled asshole.

Period.

While I think there should be no restrictions on anybody working anywhere in the world they want to, anybody who says Gates is just looking for good help is an idiot.

Re:Cashing in on ...

[Master of Transhuman]

Considering the pissant poor fucking software the industry grinds out from you $80-90,000 assholes, I wonder why some poor sod like me who has some respect for good coding and design could never get a fucking job for twenty years in this fucked-up industry.

Oh, wait, I guess I answered my own question.

Fuck the IT industry and everybody in it, especially the management of same.

Middle class is dead

[8400_RPM]

Unless you're living off your stock interest, or own a company, you're going to be POOR in the future.

Another example of the middle class going by by.

This explains gay rights bill ordeal

[badcowboy]

It makes more sense now why microsoft pulled their support for the gay rights bill in Washington state -- they needed to throw a bone to the conservatives so they could get what they wanted in this arena.