Saturday, June 2, 2012

Romney says the US needs to import more smart people

This is directly from Mitt Romney's campaign site.. The page on Human Capital 


Attracting the Best and the Brightest


To ensure that America continues to lead the world in innovation and economic dynamism, a Romney administration would press for an immigration policy designed to maximize America’s economic potential. The United States needs to attract and retain job creators from wherever they come. Foreign-born residents with advanced degrees start companies, create jobs, and drive innovation at an especially high rate. While lawful immigrants comprise about 8 percent of the population, immigrants start 16 percent of our top-performing, high-technology companies, hold the position of CEO or lead engineer in 25 percent of high-tech firms, and produce over 25 percent of all patent applications filed from the United States.

  • Raise visa caps for highly skilled workers
  • Grant permanent residency to eligible graduates with advanced degrees in math, science, and engineering

It is ironic that Mitt Romney makes the case at his campaign website that we need to import more people with advanced technical degrees from other nations considering the disregard that Mitt and the GOP/Tea Party have for education here within the USA.    Mitt never goes on to mention the need to attract and enable more American students to pursue advanced science and math degrees.  Apparently all we need to do is attract scientists from around the world to come live here. 

Perhaps Mitt and the GOP/Tea Party want to outsource higher education to the developing world where it can be accomplished without taxpayer support through Federal and State subsidies, student loans, research grants, Pell Grants, etc.  Also, because so many in the GOP/Tea Party promote anti-science views (see climate denial and Intelligent Design) the base is not opposed to offshoring the unholy business of advanced science education and research.

At any rate, pointing out the need to grant additional visas for immigrants holding advanced science degrees without addressing how we might improve the access to advanced education for our own best and brightest students points out how Romney's priorities align with big business and not middle class Americans.  

Of course, Mitt could just be acknowledging the stature of the international students who were fortunate enough based on economics or politics back home to attend an American University for their advanced degree to assure them they can stay here after they graduate. Rich kids go to the front of the line at the immigration office when Mitt is in charge.       

Take note all you young Americans who may or may not like being referred to simply as Human Capital by a politician who has amassed $255 million buying and selling capital.  When it comes to scientists, you domestic models are too expensive.  We'll bring in cheap imports instead.

1 comment:

  1. I have a BS in chemistry for eight years now and I cannot find a job in chemistry. So import more scientists just like we do the junk from China, maybe we import people from China I do not think they have enough jobs there.

    ReplyDelete