Clinton Tech Plan Reads Like Silicon Valley Wish List (usatoday.com)

theodp writes from a report via USA Today: "If there was any lingering doubt as to tech's favored presidential candidate," writes USA Today's Jon Swartz, "Hillary Clinton put an end to that Tuesday with a tech plan that reads like a Silicon Valley wish list. It calls for connecting every U.S. household to high-speed internet by 2020, reducing regulatory barriers and supporting Net neutrality rules, [which ban internet providers from blocking or slowing content.] It proposes investments in computer science and engineering education ("engage the private sector and nonprofits to train up to 50,000 computer science teachers in the next decade"), expansion of 5G mobile data, making inexpensive Wi-Fi available at more airports and train stations, and attaching a green card to the diplomas of foreign-born students earning STEM degrees." dcblogs shares with us a report from Computerworld that specifically discusses Clinton's support of green cards for foreign students who earn STEM degrees: As president, Hillary Clinton will support automatic green cards, or permanent residency, for foreign students who earn advanced STEM degrees. Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate, wants the U.S. to "staple" green cards on the diplomas of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) masters and PhD graduates "from accredited institutions." Clinton outlined her plan in a broader tech policy agenda released today. Clinton's "staple" idea isn't new. It's what Mitt Romney, the GOP presidential candidate in 2012, supported. It has had bipartisan support in Congress. But the staple idea is controversial. Critics will say this provision will be hard to control, will foster age discrimination, and put pressure on IT wages.

Comments

Green Cards

[Anonymous Coward]

The green card idea is interesting, and I would enthusiastically support such a plan if it also included a dramatic reduction in the H1-B program.

Re: Potentially more abuse prone than the H1B visa

[MachineShedFred]

You do know that the balanced budget was because of the first Republican controlled Congress in 40 years, right? Clinton was along for the ride after the 1994 midterm when it came to budgeting - he could Veto and look like a complete ass, or negotiate and sign the appropriations bills Congress sent him, which is what he did. Wisely.

That's the difference between the Clinton years and the last 6 years - the parties worked together and this country boomed. During the Obama presidency, both parties have had the "our way or GTFO" attitude and we've gone nowhere.

Divided government can work, and in fact has worked to create the two most robust economies we've seen in the modern period - the Reagan 80s and the Clinton 90s. But the parties have to work together.

Re:Clinton has nothing to do with the economy.

[bondsbw]

Presidents have very little control over our economy.

Indeed, I don't know why people keep perpetuating the lie that presidents have such huge economic influence. It's probably because the candidates campaign on these empty promises, "Vote for me, I'll make all your economic dreams come true!" Truly the most power they have is veto, and they are heavily pressured to not delay a budget which has made it through both houses of Congress.

Congress has much more influence over the economy. Go look up which party was in control of Congress during each recession. I've already done it for the 13 recessions since the Great Depression: Democrats controlled both houses 11 times, Republicans 2 times.