From the Washington Post:
A bipartisan task force will recommend today that the United States overhaul its immigration system in response to national security concerns, saying that the country should end strict quotas on work-based immigrant visas to maintain its scientific, technological and military edge.
"The continued failure to devise and implement a sound and sustainable immigration policy threatens to weaken America's economy, to jeopardize its diplomacy, and to imperil its national security," concluded an independent Council on Foreign Relations panel, co-chaired by former Florida governor Jeb Bush (R) and former Clinton White House chief of staff Thomas V. "Mack" McLarty III.
*****
"In the global competition to attract highly talented immigrants, the United States must ensure that it remains the destination of first choice," the group concluded, such as by minimizing restrictions on scientific collaboration and permitting broader recruitment of newcomers who bolster U.S. military capabilities. "America's long-term security depends on maintaining its place as a world leader in science and technology."
The panel also recommended "earned legalization, not amnesty" for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now living in the United States, requiring those who wish to stay to work, pay taxes, learn English, pass background checks, pay fines and wait their turn behind legal immigrants.
What I like about this report is that it directly targets those who say we need protectionist immigration policies to help American workers. This report serves as a reminder that efforts to protect a relatively small (but vocal) group of workers (that's you, Programmers Guild and nursing unions) hurts the country as a whole and threatens our long term economic interests. Hopefully, Jeb Bush's involvement with this effort will sway some Republicans who are sitting on the fence.
The report can be found here.
"I am sure this report will also go into that file and increase its weight and nothing more will be done after that."
...and more jobs will move abroad creating bigger deficits and debt.
Posted by: George Chell | July 08, 2009 at 11:01 AM
This is the million letter and report that I have seen since 2006 , that was when i started to track the immigratuon debate . If the congress has filed all the letters that it has recieved since 2006 asking them to do somethingf about immigration it would make a file that would weigh hundreds of pounds .
Yet , last year the house set aside the bill for immigratuon reform for highly skilled workers and chose to debate a bill that allowed better facilities for American Horses . This should how much they cared about immigration and immigrants in general . I am sure this report will also go into that file and increase its weight and nothing more will be done after that .
Posted by: A G | July 08, 2009 at 09:33 AM
Interesting related article, but not very evident. If we want to reduce the budget deficit, we need to keep high paying jobs in this country which means the firms should be allowed to recruit the best despite nationality. Insisting that Americans get the job first could result in jobs moving abroad which would in turn result in tax and social security revenues and ever widening debt and deficits. I saw evidence of this on my trip to Singapore. Racists such as Sessions, DeMint or Vitter wont get it. However, I am hopeful that non-racists such as Grassley and Durbin get it. But, perhaps they are not too smart to get this although it is no rocket science.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/31792669
Posted by: George Chell | July 08, 2009 at 07:05 AM