Lou Dobbs Does Not Understand Middle Class

I usually do NOT watch much CNN let alone pay attention to it. However, I had time while traveling to watch Mr. Dobbs tonight (at least for a couple minutes). He was commenting on testimony by Bill Gates given today before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Science and Technology. During this testimony, Mr. Gates explained how the US education system is failing to produce enough software engineers to keep US companies competitive in a global economy.

The shortage of qualified engineers is forcing many companies, including Microsoft, to look at talent from other countries. This means they must seek H-1B visas from the State Department to bring these talented people to our country. The issue for Bill Gates is the US Government only allows 65,000 of these visas every year. In his testimony Gates argues this is not enough and he is right.

So Lou Dobbs took this testimony as a way to make another point in his crusade about the middle class in decline. His point is bringing in foreign talent is just a ploy to lower the wages of existing Americans. He could not be more wrong. If these "imports" are really good, other companies are going to try to attract them and pay them more. So even if they start out making lower wages, it won't last long. Wages are a function of productivity. The more productive a worker (even a programmer) the more money they will make. Competition for talent, especially in the software industry, will see to it.

So Lou, you are wrong again. This situation is an implication of the short comings of the US education system, not about the war on the middle class. We have to have more math and science education if we are going to continue being the world leader in technology. Until we fix the education system, it is critical to let more talented people become Americans.