LIEBERMAN AND THREE OTHER REPUBLICANS WANT TO FURTHER OPEN THE DOORS TO IMMIGRATION

Does Joe Lieberman hate America?

One of McCain's chief toadies in the Senate, renegade Democratic Neocon Joe Lieberman, and 3 other McCain allies are laying the groundwork for bringing in more foreign workers, even as the American unemployment numbers skyrocket. Actual unemployment figures-- when discouraged workers who have just given up are included-- are over 12%. The four Senate corporate whores reintroduced legislation late yesterday that would allow U.S. employers to recruit more "highly skilled" foreign workers and increase the level of H-1B visas ("temporarily"). Joining Lieberman and Cornyn are Gregg Judd (R-NH) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE). The bill is being pushed by the Chamber of Commerce, a business organization that has given heavy support to all four senators.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin points out the most basic flaw in the Republican bill. "All employers seeking H-1B visas must first be required to make a good-faith effort to hire an American worker... I will fight any H-1B proposal that does not include the fundamental principle of hiring Americans first." Durbin has been joined by Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley in pointing out flagrant abuse of the system, particularly by Indian outsourcing firms.

Gregg is whining that the number of foreign workers currently being admitted is "unreasonably low." He isn't running for re-election in November or he would be hiding under his desk the way his colleague John Sununu is. The bill is huge news in India.

Perhaps if these 4 reactionaries were more focussed on funding educational opportunities for Americans they wouldn't be seeking to placate their corporate backers by allowing them to bring in even more foreign workers, especially not at a point in time when there is no national consensus on overall immigration reform. Microsoft, Cisco, Intel, Google, Motorola and others, are pushing the bill. The AFL-CIO hasn't taken a position yet.