Thread: Sen. Benett signs letter condeming FAIR

Source : United States Senator (BOB BENNETT )
Send by : Abdul-ganiu. O.Cole Global Cordinator(C- M-G)Worldwide.
E-mail: concerned_migrants@ yahoo.com


Senators Sign Bennett Letter Condemning Tactics of Anti-immigration Group Fair
Bennett also highlights errors in FAIR attack of high-tech industry

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) today denounced the activities of the anti-immigrant group FAIR (Federation of American Immigration Reform) and released a copy of a letter being signed by other U.S. senators condemning FAIR's divisive smear campaign against immigrants and Senator Spence Abraham in Michigan. "I decided to circulate this letter after learning of the erroneous and despicable advertisements in Michigan designed to incite fear and hatred of immigrants. Several of my colleagues expressed a desire to speak out against FAIR's unseemly campaign," Senator Bennett said. "Certainly if Michigan newspapers and responsible community leaders have denounced FAIR's advertisements, senators have a responsibility to also discredit this type of intolerance. " Senator Bennett, chairman of the Senate Republican High-Tech Task Force, began circulating the letter last week highlighting FAIR's attack against Senator Abraham's ethnicity as well as the significant errors in its media campaign on a critical high-tech issue. Unaware of the facts behind the issue of H-1B visas and their impact on the American economy, FAIR's TV advertisement erroneously calls the proposed H-1B visa legislation pending in the Congress, "the Abraham Foreign Workers Bill," and alleges it will "import more than 200,000 foreign workers a year to take good American jobs." To the contrary, says Bennett, stating there is absolutely no evidence Americans lose jobs when a foreign national receives an H-1B visa, and substantial evidence that H-1B workers have contributed significantly to the growth and health of the U.S. economy in general and the Michigan economy in particular. "As we have heard repeatedly from high-tech industry leaders and the nation's chief economists, individuals on H-1B visas help create American jobs and provide greater security to Americans currently in the workforce. Through their innovation and productivity, these H-1B workers have been a critical ingredient fueling America's economic engine," Bennett added. "With Michigan's unemployment rate below the national average, Senator Abraham is to be commended for addressing a critical labor shortage that will keep Michigan's economy strong and create more jobs for the people of his state."

Bennett noted H-1B workers are hired for unfilled jobs and that there are substantial measures in the law preventing an H-1B visa holder from "taking" a job from an American employee. Bennett also noted Section 212(n)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act which states that it is illegal to pay a foreign worker in H-1B status less than a U.S. worker in an equivalent job. The pending legislation, its correct title "The American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act," also includes over $450 million in funding for training and education to help encourage new workers and students to enter technical fields, which is an important part of the bill and its thrust to make America more competitive. None of the bill's features on training and education is mentioned in the ad. Last week, Cardinal Adam Maida, the Archbishop of Detroit, called the ads "despicable, " saying "this kind of bigotry is divisive."

The Jewish Community Council of Detroit said FAIR's ads use "the same type of ugly rhetoric that stimulated ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo, and was used by the Nazis throughout Europe." The Detroit Coalition for Responsible Immigration Policy said that "such ads generate prejudice and hatred against the most vulnerable population in our community. Immigration bashing is a form of bigotry that must not be tolerated by responsible citizens." Several Michigan newspapers have also editorialized against FAIR including: The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Kalamazoo Gazette, Oakland Press, Saginaw News and Grand Rapids Press. Several Michigan broadcasters have pulled FAIR's ads in response. A copy of the letter follows: Dear Colleague: We are writing to bring to your attention an important matter. An anti-immigrant group called FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, is engaging in a smear campaign against immigrants in general and one of our colleagues in particular.

In one advertisement, FAIR placed a photograph of Senator Spence Abraham next to one of terrorist Osama bin Laden in an attempt to smear Senator Abraham as a supporter of terrorism because of his ethnicity. When recently asked in the Wall Street Journal about this obvious ethnic slur, the executive director of FAIR claimed, incredibly, "We thought Abraham was Jewish," even though numerous newspaper articles and FAIR's own newsletter had referenced Senator Abraham's Lebanese heritage. Attacking individuals based on their religion or ethnicity appears to be a specialty of FAIR. The Miami Herald has reported that FAIR's founder expressed the concern that "too many new American immigrants are Roman Catholic." The Wall Street Journal wrote of an active FAIR member who is engaged in an effort to sterilize women in the Third World, in part to limit the potential pool of future immigrants.

The executive director of FAIR has made anti-Catholic statements of his own, telling a reporter, "Certainly we would encourage people in other countries to have small families. Otherwise they'll all be coming here, because there's no room at the Vatican." FAIR's newest attack against Senator Abraham on H-1B immigrant visa legislation has been denounced by Michigan newspapers as a campaign of fear against all immigrants. Desperate because Congress opposes FAIR's extremist agenda, FAIR's executive director has resorted to calling Senator Abraham a "scumbag" in a recent interview. One of the great privileges of being an American is the right to say things that are stupid and even offensive; FAIR is clearly exercising that right. However, other Americans, even U.S. senators, have an equal right--indeed, responsibility- -to speak out in response. Accordingly, we strongly condemn and reject this sort of smear campaign and urge all of our colleagues, regardless of party, to do the same. FAIR's venom may be able to go uncensored, but it should never go uncensured or uncondemned. Sincerely, [signed by Robert F. Bennett and 18 other Senators] Senators Sign Bennett Letter Condemning Tactics of Anti-immigration Group Fair .

http://bennett.senate.gov/

"The American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act," also includes over $450 million in funding for training and education to help encourage new workers and students to enter technical fields, which is an important part of the bill and its thrust to make America more competitive.

Another writing blurriness, which makes me crazy. Does this include training for H-1B visa holders or is it just limited to legal Americans? And in immigrants, are illegal aliens included in this bunch?
Perhaps I should do more research, but I have better ways of wasting my time than deciphering inept reporting and politico double-speak.

[signed by Robert F. Bennett and 18 other Senators]


Who was the other 18 senators?

Certainly if Michigan newspapers and responsible community leaders have denounced FAIR's advertisements, senators have a responsibility to also discredit this type of intolerance. "

What kind of idiotic statement is this from an obviously idiotic Senatotr?

To the contrary, says Bennett, stating there is absolutely no evidence Americans lose jobs when a foreign national receives an H-1B visa, and substantial evidence that H-1B workers have contributed significantly to the growth and health of the U.S. economy in general and the Michigan economy in particular.

HUH??? Bennett...then show us eveidence TO THE CONTRARY.

The Jewish Community Council of Detroit said FAIR's ads use "the same type of ugly rhetoric that stimulated ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo, and was used by the Nazis throughout Europe."

Oh yeah...gotta slip that Nazi reference in there.

With Michigan's unemployment rate below the national average, Senator Abraham is to be commended for addressing a critical labor shortage that will keep Michigan's economy strong and create more jobs for the people of his state."

What an outright LIE! Michigan's unemployment rate in July was 8.5% compared to 5.7% nationally! Idiots!

Senator Bennett is full of corporate lobbyist money. H1B visas are given to foreign workers, usually less skilled and certainly paid a great deal less, while American workers, and taxpayers, are laid off. This program has lowered the wages of engineering and technology workers throughout our country. Do you all remember that training for corporations on how to hire immigrants instead of Americans?

They do not have to prove or even try to hire an American. My husband was fired and replaced by two, yes two, H1B visa engineers when he was diagnosed with cancer. It took over 2 years to get another job, at less than one-half of what he was making prior. Who is going to go for retraining when you are at the height of your earning career and set to retire in 5 years? By the time you get out of your retraining, with no guarantee of a job, you have lost valuable time and income with age discrimination and retirement looming.

With all the things wrong in this country to take a stand about - say the Mexican Army's continuous invasions across our southern border, for instance - he is representing a state with just about the bleakest economic situation. And he has the unmitigated gall to complain about FAIR, volunteer citizens doing their darndest on their own time and dime to save our country?

If Michigan does not issue a recall they deserve the representation they are getting - none. :

" To the contrary, says Bennett, stating there is absolutely no evidence Americans lose jobs when a foreign national receives an H-1B visa, and substantial evidence that H-1B workers have contributed significantly to the growth and health of the U.S

I'm not fool enough to even entertain this quote as a rasional thought. How many jobs Senator have good Americans lost to Globalization ? Millions ,many Millions and you exspect us the Citizen to buy your rehertic. Utah needs to put an American in your seat .

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

Source : United States Senator (BOB BENNETT )
Send by : Abdul-ganiu. O.Cole Global Cordinator(C- M-G)Worldwide.
E-mail: concerned_migrants@ yahoo.com


Senators Sign Bennett Letter Condemning Tactics of Anti-immigration Group Fair
Bennett also highlights errors in FAIR attack of high-tech industry

I live in Detroit which is the area of the state so damaged by Senator Abraham's anti-American efforts to throw Americans out of work that I can quickly recognize and go down the line and list all the blatant lies, exaggerations, and propaganda "agit-prop" found in this very suspicious "press release. In fact there are so many that I will number them in order to attach notes, references and website URL's if needed.

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) today denounced the activities of the anti-immigrant group FAIR (Federation of American Immigration Reform) and released a copy of a letter being signed by other U.S. senators condemning FAIR's divisive smear campaign against immigrants and Senator Spence Abraham in Michigan.

1. FAIR is not 'anti-immigrant' as this so called opinion statement puts forward. It is against the obvious attempt by a group of unscrupulous Democrats and Republicans to "own" the term immigrant so that illegal aliens who are in the United States breaking the law are automatically reclassified as "immgrants". FAIR also researches and disseminates information to the public at large concerning the improper use and fraudulent standing of many foreign worker visa programs which throw Americans out of jobs because they encourage such things as fraudulent information on resumes or the retainer of law firms which illegally discriminate against American citizens in the hiring process.

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

"I decided to circulate this letter after learning of the erroneous and despicable advertisements in Michigan designed to incite fear and hatred of immigrants.

2. Again, who are the immigrants being referred to? Since it has been proven by police records that many thousands of American citizens have died as the result of beiing attacked by criminal aliens, it does not follow that supporting current immigration law "incites fear and hatred of immigrants" since the concern is being driven toward criminal aliens and not "immigrants". It also follows that if high-technology workers from other countries are using fraudulent loop-holes, of which the H1-B visa program contains many, then directing concern toward the fraudulent use by foreigners of an improperly administered government program has nothing to do whatsoever with a desire to "incite fear and hatred of immigrants".

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

Several of my colleagues expressed a desire to speak out against FAIR's unseemly campaign," Senator Bennett said. "Certainly if Michigan newspapers and responsible community leaders have denounced FAIR's advertisements, senators have a responsibility to also discredit this type of intolerance. " Senator Bennett, chairman of the Senate Republican High-Tech Task Force, began circulating the letter last week highlighting FAIR's attack against Senator Abraham's ethnicity as well as the significant errors in its media campaign on a critical high-tech issue.

3. Proof?

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

Unaware of the facts behind the issue of H-1B visas and their impact on the American economy, FAIR's TV advertisement erroneously calls the proposed H-1B visa legislation pending in the Congress, "the Abraham Foreign Workers Bill," and alleges it will "import more than 200,000 foreign workers a year to take good American jobs." To the contrary, says Bennett, stating there is absolutely no evidence Americans lose jobs when a foreign national receives an H-1B visa, and substantial evidence that H-1B workers have contributed significantly to the growth and health of the U.S. economy in general and the Michigan economy in particular.

4. The above statements are completely false and run so contrary to the experience of American citizens in their day-to-day work lives that it makes no sense to even try to fool someone with this propaganda.

The fact is that American citizens who have worked in the high-tech work force in the south-eastern Michigan area have been part of or know thousands of American jobs that have been eliminated because of the H1-B visa. Just ask around. Ask anyone who worked at Ford Motors during the period in which the president of Ford admitted that his corporate hiring practices included eliminating the jobs of American citizens. All you have to do is research the topic and make contact with the many thousands of Michiganders who have physical proof that H1-B job replacement programs have devastated the Michigan economy.

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

"As we have heard repeatedly from high-tech industry leaders and the nation's chief economists, individuals on H-1B visas help create American jobs and provide greater security to Americans currently in the workforce.

5. Not true. The implementation of H1-B visas in the American workplace have contributed to the mass layoffs of hundreds of thousands of American citizens who were productively employed in the high-tech and information technology sectors of this country. How do you prove this? Simple. You ask around. You can also do research at the many hundreds of state employment service centers and public libraries and come in contact with the researchers who know what and how American jobs are being eliminated.

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

Through their innovation and productivity, these H-1B workers have been a critical ingredient fueling America's economic engine," Bennett added. "With Michigan's unemployment rate below the national average, Senator Abraham is to be commended for addressing a critical labor shortage that will keep Michigan's economy strong and create more jobs for the people of his state."

6. The preceding statement is so untrue and misleading, and, quite frankly, bizarre, that it is quite astonishing that a group of US Senators would not care about the immediate negative effect to their reputations from making such a fabrication. Look at the following:

In Michigan, the unemployment rate classifies it as the worst in the nation; according to http://www.milmi.org/ (which are official government statistics), Michigan has an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent making it the worst in the nation. It is well known that many Michigan workers, especially high-tech workers are having to leave the state in order to find work because Information Technology workers have been laid off by the thousands. Again, just ask around. It is also well known that American workers are often screened out of job shops which hire H1-B's. This is borne out by many news stories, research articles and personal experiences. It is quite alarming that a Senator would make a statement like "Michigan's unemployment rate below the national average". It is simply poor judgement to even make such a claim.

Originally Posted by LawEnforcer

Bennett noted H-1B workers are hired for unfilled jobs and that there are substantial measures in the law preventing an H-1B visa holder from "taking" a job from an American employee.

7. We have proof that the above is untrue. Just read:

Bias against American tech workers by Dan Miller and Juliana Barbassa
http://programmersguild.blogspot.com/20 ... rs-by.html

http://jobs.worldwidewarning.net/
Immigration attorneys from Cohen & Grigsby explains how they assist employers in running classified ads with the goal of NOT finding any qualified applicants, and the steps they go through to disqualify even the most qualified Americans in order to secure green cards for H-1b workers. See what Bush and Congress really mean by a “shortage of skilled U.S. workers.â€