The First 100 days

Discussion in 'West Mall' started by theiioftx, Nov 10, 2016.

  1. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    DACA = Democrats Against the Constitution of America

    Trump's DACA decision is appropriate. Obama's action was a violation of the SOP. An example of the Executive Branch usurping the constitutionally delineated powers of the Legislative Branch. It was the act of a King (or someone who thought he was a king).

    Trump is fixing that mistake and leaving the legislating up to the Congress.
    And he is doing this before the Congress will face the 2018 mid-terms.
    This is what we call democracy.
     
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    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
  2. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Politico has an article about what happens when some control is brought back to the issuance of H-2B visas. The article can be read in different ways. And I doubt Politico intended the most common reading to be what most people took away from it. Which was -- US corporations were forced to hire US citizens for these jobs.

    Which Politico thinks is bad

    "..... North American Midway Entertainment, a large traveling-amusement-park company headquartered in Indiana, requested roughly 400 H-2B workers this year, a quarter of its total seasonal workforce. But the Department of Homeland Security reached its 66,000-visa cap before the company could secure the guest workers. Company President Danny Huston said he had to skip three fairs and contract out some ride operations because of the visa shortage. In total, he estimates that North American Midway may have lost as much as $800,000.

    But the company was able to cover about one-third of the vacancies by hiring Americans through job fairs, newspaper advertisements, and social media. “We even set up a job fair in Puerto Rico,” Huston said.

    * * * *

    The Beachmere Inn in Ogunquit, a seaside village in southeastern Maine, didn’t receive the eight H-2B visas it requested to supplement its summer housekeeping staff. To make ends meet, owner Sarah Diment recruited college kids through her Facebook network and cobbled together part-time shifts, some filled by American students and some by foreign students here on cultural exchange visas. In the past year, Diment estimates she had to boost housekeeping wages roughly 10 percent to keep employees....."

    http://www.politico.com/story/2017/...uest-worker-visas-immigration-242271?lo=ap_c1
     
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  3. BrntOrngStmpeDe

    BrntOrngStmpeDe 1,000+ Posts

    And the same thing will happen in the tech world and silicon valley. While there may not currently be a sea of candidates with all the desired credentials, there will be as soon as the jobs start to pay that extra $10-15K that makes it worth pursuing the Comp Science degree. It's when they want you to have 8yrs experience and a CompSci degree and then also willing to accept $60,000 salary that the "can't find enough qualified American workers".

    you start paying $75K for that same job, then many more will pursue CompSci degrees.
     
  4. Brad Austin

    Brad Austin 2,500+ Posts

    Exactly. These companies found ways to squeeze out larger profits by paying less to (and lobbying for) cheaper foreign workers.

    Now they're being forced to find local options again as it always should've been, and they b*tch about not being able to function or fill those jobs.

    No, the reality is their expanded margins realized by manipulating cheap labor will no longer be attainable because those reduced salaries aren't fair to American workers.

    Which is exactly why they couldn't fill those positions by offering reduced wages to the American labor force before looking elsewhere.

    Then there was the added benefit of eliminating wage increases as experience accrued for the American worker. Instead they gamed a system where they could just turn over the foreign worker every few years and replace with a new one at the base amount.

    All they have to do is adjust back to the previous system and offer wages necessary to secure capable American workers.

    They are also free to jack up the costs of the same products in an attempt to fleece the public to protect the higher margins from increased wages.

    And we'll decide if their same product is worth the elevated cost. Or they can return to previous margins when things were done the right way.

    Either way, the market will handle it, and American workers will be back filling the jobs they should've been doing in the first place.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2017
  5. Seattle Husker

    Seattle Husker 10,000+ Posts

    Computer Science graduates aren't having any trouble getting jobs, regardless of pay. Even ****** students are walking out with a degree and into a job if they want one. The problem is that there aren't enough of them. That's driving the need to look offshore.

    Now, as a technology leader I'm not interested in the poor performing students. That's not an issue. Plenty of liberal arts majors to choose from but that's not going to help fill the need for tech sector jobs. We could be like India and PUSH people to technical degrees but that would be antithetical to the American way of self-determination.

    Still, as a parent of a college freshman I dissuaded my son from going to the U of Washington because I knew how competitive the engineering programs are. When I went to school there you had to achieve a 3.6GPA in the pre-requisites just to apply. It's gotten harder since then.
     
  6. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    When Obama legislated with his pen, he knew at the time what he was doing was illegal

     
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  7. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Sessions today agreeing with the Ghost of Obama Past^

     
  8. BrntOrngStmpeDe

    BrntOrngStmpeDe 1,000+ Posts

    But that's my point. How much I'll make when I get out is a big part of the major field choice for many students. If I'm looking at a world where average CompSci grad gets $60K with associated increases then I'm luke warm to the career. If I'm looking at a world where CompSci gets $75 to start and associated increases, for many students this is a very persuasive argument. They will chase the money, if there's substantial money to be had.

    You will get more students/graduates(>>>>Tech Workers), if the students perceive the reward being big enough. Colleges respond to employer and student demand. If employers are saying "tech, tech, tech" and the students are saying "tech, tech, tech" then the colleges will generate "tech, tech, tech".

    But if there is a robust H1B program and probability that wages will stay down due to imported labor, then why would students choose a harder degree that's going to outsource them in 18 months.
     
  9. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

  10. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

  11. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    How did we ever get stuck with these guys?

     
  12. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Feinstein may have a better grasp than Trump on the illegality of DACA

     
  13. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

  14. Phil Elliott

    Phil Elliott 2,500+ Posts

    I can't believe (that's not true, it's very believable) that you guys have to go to lengths to explain to some folks on this board that importing foreign workers depresses wages for American workers.
     
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  15. Seattle Husker

    Seattle Husker 10,000+ Posts

    To be clear, schools have been increasing their enrollment in these disciplines over the last 15 years. Student demand still vastly outpaces available slots in computer sciences and related fields. The quandary for schools is whether to lower their own standards for admittance into these programs. To be sure, most US educated students don't have the requisite math skills needed to successfully get through the pre-reqs.

    This is where our secondary schools (and parents) are not supporting the colleges. In my experience, the fact that we give our kids so much flexibility in choosing their careers works against us. It's the downside of having such an affluent society, IMHO. While working with offshore teams and visiting India and China its been my experience that tech is seen as a way to move up in class and improve a family's financial situation. In turn, you have 100's of thousands of kids studying mercilessly to get into schools like IIT in India and similar schools. That level of competition driving kids to focus on the core subjects (math) isn't prevalent in the US. Simply raising salary won't do it either or there wouldn't be a shortage of Chemical Engineering graduates either who make $110k starting per the studies I've read.

    Tl:dr - Increasing the salaries won't fix this supply problem. It's much more complicated and is impacted by cultural phenomenon. Immigration isn't causing the issue but rather solving a need for the tech sector.
     
  16. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Canadians are soooo cheesy
    Why stop at 30k?
    Seems arbitrary
    We got 700 to 800k to send them


    [​IMG]
     
  17. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    It's econ 101
    I have for a long time wanted R Pres candidates to use this in campaigns. Just stand there with arms out, palms up and give a quick lecture on supply and demand. (Yet they never do this)
    Could not only have been winning the labor vote the last 30 years, but a bigger chunk of the black vote with it
    It's an even better argument today than back then, now that Dems are firmly out in the open about their desire for open borders

    Barbara Jordan got it, of course
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2017
  18. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Steve Bannon will be on 60 Minutes on Sunday.

    Charlie Rose asks him the "Good Catholic" question. Which, on its face, is offensive to the Constitution. This is exactly the kind of stuff the Founders took great steps to avoid.

    Anyways, as you might expect (and hope) Bannon rolls his eyes then tells the truth about the Catholic Church:

    Steve Bannon: Look, what he did on DACA the other day. Okay, I don't agree with that DACA decision, but I understand how he struggled with it, I understand how he's giving the possibility of a legislative thing. And he said even last night in a tweet – even in a tweet, he would rethink it. Trust me, the guys in the far right, the guys on the conservative side are not happy with this.

    Charlie Rose: Can I remind you, a good Catholic, that Cardinal [Timothy] Dolan is opposed to what's happened with DACA? Cardinal Dolan.

    Bannon: The Catholic Church has been terrible about this.

    Rose: Okay.

    Bannon: The bishops have been terrible about this. By the way, you know why? You know why? Because unable to really – to – to – to come to grips with the problems in the church, they need illegal aliens, they need illegal aliens to fill the churches. That's – it's obvious on the face of it. That's what – the entire Catholic bishops condemn him. ... They have – they have an economic interest. They have an economic interest in unlimited immigration, unlimited illegal immigration. And as much as –

    Rose: Boy, that's a tough thing to say about your church.

    Bannon: As much as I respect Cardinal Dolan and the bishops on doctrine, this is not doctrine. This is not doctrine at all. I totally respect the pope and I totally respect the Catholic bishops and cardinals on doctrine. This is not about doctrine. This is about the sovereignty of a nation. And in that regard, they're just another guy with an opinion.

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/steve-bannon-on-trump-daca-decision-60-minutes/?linkId=41917589
     
  19. UTChE96

    UTChE96 2,500+ Posts

    Surprised no discussion of Trump working with Schumer and Pelosi on the Debt ceiling deal. Time will tell if this is a one off (I doubt it). This will likely play well with independents. The Trump supporters won't care that he betrayed the Republican party - no love lost. This move likely only infuriates the "Never Trumpers". Probably a good political move. The triangulation strategy worked like a charm for Bill Clinton.
     
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  20. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    I feel pretty confident saying that the majority of Republican voters already feel betrayed by the Republicans they elected. So, I think you have it backwards.
     
  21. Clean

    Clean 5,000+ Posts

    I think Trump is chiding Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. He's sending them a message; "I'm going to get stuff done, with you or without you". Trump isn't a party guy. He was a Democrat most of his life.

    The Repubs didn't want a short extension because they don't want it coming up again during the 2018 election cycle. So, Trump went around them.

    In Trump's first 9 months in office, has Congress passed any important legislation? They managed to squeak through a Supreme Court justice. That's about it. Maybe this will loosen the Congressional gridlock a little.
     
  22. UTChE96

    UTChE96 2,500+ Posts

    No question that the Republican congress has been a huge disappointment. Another reason why Trump partnering with the Democrats was probably a smart political decision. Not sure any conservative should ever be happy about Schumer and Pelosi having more power and influence but I am just speaking to the politics of the situation.
     
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  23. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    I am curious to see if Bannon's remarks about the Catholics causes a ripple, or will most people just ignore it (since most people know he is correct, even if they might not want to say the same thing publicly).

    There is no doubt the Church wants its pews filled. The Catholic Church is a wolrdwide operation. It's expensive. If it runs solely off its past assets acquired, it will soon disappear. it needs income to remain viable. Always has, always will.

    This has been studied in academia for a long time. The "political maturation" of ethnic Catholics -- primarily Italian, Irish, Hispanic populations -- during and after World War II. What ahappened to them is exactly what you think happened to them. All demonstrated political maturation from Tammany-Hall-style machine to assimilate into middle class suburbanites. Often at higher rates than those of other groups.

    During WWII, Italians led the way. They had the highest enlistment rates of all ethnic Catholics groups. Not surprisingly, the Catholic-Italians assimilated at the fastest rate. Then came the Irish, followed by various Hispanic subgroups. Puerto Ricans also had very high post-WII assimilation rates (but econonmic recession and crisis later reversed for this group). Even Cubans quickly assimilate. Why? Because that's what they want to. They do not want to import the failed ideas of their home country. That's the whole point.

    The Cathothic Church now wants illegal ethnic Catholics to fill their pews in the US. They have to have them. They need the money. I would argue this also colors their position on the use of birth control, but this is outside what Bannon referenced.
     
  24. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Republian voters have given the Party the majority of the states, the majority of the state legislatures, the majority of the state governorships, the majority of the US House, the majority of the US Senate, and the White House. They elected Donald Trump of all people!!! What else are the people supposed to do? I would argue they cannot give a voice to their will greater than this.
     
  25. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Here is a video clip of the Bannon interview

     
  26. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    I think it was predictable. The Never Trumpers in Congress have bascially sat on his legislative agenda. Meanwhile wrapping themselves in their own version of virtue-signaling. Trump was only going to take this so long.

    He gave the GOP about 9 months to get what they wanted.
    And what did he get back from them?
    He got Russia investigations, a dead agenda and virtue signaling (at his expense)

    What he has been able to accomplish (quite a bit on his end, IMO), he has done so through exercising Executive Branch Power, not through a cooperative Congress.
     
  27. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    Let us briefly look at what he did upon taking office --
    -- He did not mess with R-leadership in Congress after the elections
    -- He filled the WH with RNC hands
    -- He even gave the Senate Maority Leader's wife a job
    -- He gave the NATO Ambassador job to an establishment person
    -- He helped Paul Ryan in the special elections
    -- He helped the Senate Majority Leader in the Alabama election
    -- He tried pushing Republican promises on Obamacare

    And what did he get back from Congressional Rs?
    -- GOP "moderates" kept backing out of votes, killing the legislation
    -- Three Russia/Trump investigations (on top of Mueller)
    -- Then, instead of killing off those other three investigations once Mueller appeared, McConnell and Ryan not only left them in place but they (+ other members) kept praising Mueller as if he were some type of a god
    -- Rs then moved very quickly investigating Trump's son but drug their feet on looking into the spying and unmasking by Obama's people (WHY?)
    -- Finally, Congressional Rs keep engaging in virtue signaling on a host of issues which all bascially end in the same place (Trump = bad). The latest being DACA. For example, both Ryan and John McCain rushed in to say they now want a legislative fix to DACA (which directly contradicts their postions before the 2016 vote). To his credit, Trump saw this coming, he knew they would fold, so he got in front of the fake Rs with that tweet
    -- Even as I type this, Ryan is doing it again. Why should Trump push the conservative agenda of a 15% tax rate when, as soon as he does, the Rep Speaker gives it up before the battle even begins?
    Anwyay, as I said originally, Trump beginning to make deals with Dems is logical at this point

     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2017
  28. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    The main reason Congressional Republicans have been "breaking from Trump" has been the NeverTrumpers. But Trump gave Congress 9 months to pass whatever they wanted. He has mostly said he would sign whatever they passed. But they didnt do much. Why? It was all due to a combination of NeverTrumpers and R-leadership. They have undermined anything and everything. Why? Ego. They dont want to have to admit they were wrong. They want to be able to say, "See, we told you, he's really a Dem". But it's their own fault they were so closed minded. They painted themselves into a corner (much like people like Ben Shapiro, Jonah Goldberg and Bill Kristol did). They are stuck due to their own maneuvering. And, thus, they have no standing to now complain that he has pivoted to work a deal with Dems.
     
    Last edited: Sep 7, 2017
  29. Seattle Husker

    Seattle Husker 10,000+ Posts

    When does Trump's take accountability for the lack of progress? His ADHD-like inability to focus on his agenda or grasp the depth of the issues (see: Health Care) has put ALL the responsibility on the R's in Congress. Trump's rampant flamethrowing and controversies has emboldened the D's making it impossible for Ryan and McConnell to steal a few votes. That's all on Trump.
     
  30. Joe Fan

    Joe Fan 10,000+ Posts

    About 40 years late looking at Title IX but its something
    And, yes, Obama did make it worse

     

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