Democrats choose trial lawyers over Silicon Valley

[Sbane]

As we are all pondering whether Reid deserves to lead the Democrats in the Senate, read this piece from the WSJ. For those who think the Democrats can do no wrong, you need to read this.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/gordon-crovitz-even-silicon-valley-tilts-republican-1414973099

You must be logged in to read this quote.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[anvi]

Yeah.  Never liked Reid.

[memphis]

If there's one thing America needs, it's more foreign competition for American jobs

[Sbane]

If there's one thing America needs, it's more foreign competition for American jobs

What does this have to do with patent law?

As for immigration reform, what is your opinion on all the low skilled laborers who are streaming across the border? Wonder why the Democrats don't have any problems with that but once you start talking about immigrants who will make enough money to pay taxes and not use social services, they start aping the minutemen. Someone needs some votes.

[AggregateDemand]

The Senate is full of lawyers. I'm not sure why Silicon Valley thought they were going to push patent reform through the Senate with campaign donations.

Business people can be amusing at times. They exploit patent law to maximize profit. When patent law is used against them, they demand reform. Now that corporations are arguing on the side of populist virtue, they expect the world to turn on a dime; though, they were just exploiting the laws a half decade ago. The megalomania is quite stunning.

Patent reform is worthwhile endeavor, but it can't be handled in a single election cycle. Unfortunately, I suspect Silicon Valley will drop the issue once they've achieved their own objectives.

[Sbane]

The biggest winners from patent reform will be startups. Of course some here may think those are evil as well.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

As we are all pondering whether Reid deserves to lead the Democrats in the Senate, read this piece from the WSJ. For those who think the Democrats can do no wrong, you need to read this.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/gordon-crovitz-even-silicon-valley-tilts-republican-1414973099

Democrats do plenty of things wrong.

[memphis]

If there's one thing America needs, it's more foreign competition for American jobs

What does this have to do with patent law?

As for immigration reform, what is your opinion on all the low skilled laborers who are streaming across the border? Wonder why the Democrats don't have any problems with that but once you start talking about immigrants who will make enough money to pay taxes and not use social services, they start aping the minutemen. Someone needs some votes.

The issue of foreign workers was addressed in your article. I'm not afraid to admit I'm not well versed in the specifics of patent law, so I'll pass of addressing that topic. In any case, low paying jobs don't need much protection. They are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Any fool can walk into a minimum wage job without any trouble. Good paying jobs, on the other hand, are extremely scarce, and importing labor only drives down wages.  Our national policies should reflect that.

[Storebought]

Technology companies frequently lard their job requisitions with a laundry list of responsibilities and skills that would normally be performed by two or three separate employees -- working in different career paths. The hiring managers can then claim that the persistent lack of "experienced" domestic candidates requires filling the position with foreign (contract) workers.

There is also the tactic of requiring an advanced degree (MS or higher) with 3+ years of experience for an entry level position, but that is an abuse that extends beyond technology companies specifically.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Technology companies frequently lard their job requisitions with a laundry list of responsibilities and skills that would normally be performed by two or three separate employees -- working in different career paths. The hiring managers can then claim that the persistent lack of "experienced" domestic candidates requires filling the position with foreign (contract) workers.

There is also the tactic of requiring an advanced degree (MS or higher) with 3+ years of experience for an entry level position, but that is an abuse that extends beyond technology companies specifically.

In 1998, I saw a job posting that wanted 5 years of Java experience. Java was released in 1995. No doubt the company said "We couldn't find an American who met our qualifications".

[Beet]

Patent trolling is absurd. I recently heard about a California company that lobbied the state government to require that a certain technology be used by companies in a particular industry as a matter of regulation. After the regulation passed, the company then "discovered" that it had a patent on that technology and sued all of its competitors for royalties. There are other companies whose sole purpose for existence is to buy up as many patents as possible and then sue small companies trying to innovate. Many times, the "patents" wouldn't hold up in court, however the small companies are too scared by a ominous-sounding letter threatening a lawsuit and massive fines that they agree to pay up just to avoid legal fees.

[Deus Naturae]

Technology companies frequently lard their job requisitions with a laundry list of responsibilities and skills that would normally be performed by two or three separate employees -- working in different career paths. The hiring managers can then claim that the persistent lack of "experienced" domestic candidates requires filling the position with foreign (contract) workers.

There is also the tactic of requiring an advanced degree (MS or higher) with 3+ years of experience for an entry level position, but that is an abuse that extends beyond technology companies specifically.

In 1998, I saw a job posting that wanted 5 years of Java experience. Java was released in 1995. No doubt the company said "We couldn't find an American who met our qualifications".

Why should they have to make excuses in the first place? People shouldn't have to justify hiring someone over someone else just because that person isn't a native-born 'Murican.

[Storebought]

Are you being realistic? Not even Mexico allows immigrants to apply for a job without a valid employment visa.

[Deus Naturae]

Are you being realistic? Not even Mexico allows immigrants to apply for a job without a valid employment visa.

I'm not arguing that we should abolish visa requirements. I'm just saying that there's nothing wrong with tech firms preferring some workers over others simply because the former aren't native-born. What point were you trying to make with your post about tech firms making "excuses" for preferring immigrants?

[Sbane]

Making sure immigrant workers are paid the same as native born workers, and most importantly, that these "immigrants" aren't just being trained here only to be shipped back to their country in a couple of years are the most important things to be done to reform immigration as it relates to high tech/highly skilled workers. That could easily be a part of immigration reform, and my guess is that it will.

[Storebought]

Are you being realistic? Not even Mexico allows immigrants to apply for a job without a valid employment visa.

I'm not arguing that we should abolish visa requirements. I'm just saying that there's nothing wrong with tech firms preferring some workers over others simply because the former aren't native-born. What point were you trying to make with your post about tech firms making "excuses" for preferring immigrants?

An employment contract posted for a nonexistent position, or one that is constructed to be unfulfillable, is unethical in itself -- but when used to subvert equal employment opportunity laws is probably illegal as well.

[memphis]

Making sure immigrant workers are paid the same as native born workers, and most importantly, that these "immigrants" aren't just being trained here only to be shipped back to their country in a couple of years are the most important things to be done to reform immigration as it relates to high tech/highly skilled workers. That could easily be a part of immigration reform, and my guess is that it will.

Did you miss the election last night? The Republicans won. There's not going to be any immigration reform.

[dead0man]

Both trial lawyers and Silicon Valley are terrible, so I'm splitting the difference by not really caring about this.

The common cold and cancer are both terrible too.  One is much more terribler than the other though.

Patent trolls are right there with payday loan companies on the list of things that suck.  Well below cable companies and the insurance industry, sure, but still awfully sh**tty.

[Sbane]

Making sure immigrant workers are paid the same as native born workers, and most importantly, that these "immigrants" aren't just being trained here only to be shipped back to their country in a couple of years are the most important things to be done to reform immigration as it relates to high tech/highly skilled workers. That could easily be a part of immigration reform, and my guess is that it will.

Did you miss the election last night? The Republicans won. There's not going to be any immigration reform.

Republicans will certainly pass their version. It remains to be seen if Obama and the Republicans can agree on a final bill. Or maybe Reid will filibuster it to death. We shall see.

[Lief 🗽]

Good, good. Trial lawyers are much better people and more progressive.

[Sbane]

Good, good. Trial lawyers are much better people and more progressive.

Considering Silicon Valley has twice now been a key part of stopping a Republican wave from reaching the west coast, one would think you guys would be more gracious.

[dead0man]

Whoa...did he really say trial lawyers are MUCH BETTER than tech nerds?  Does he like used car salesmen, lobbyists and payday loan jackwads too?

[Sbane]

Whoa...did he really say trial lawyers are MUCH BETTER than tech nerds?  Does he like used car salesmen, lobbyists and payday loan jackwads too?

It's lief. I hope he was just trolling.

[memphis]

Making sure immigrant workers are paid the same as native born workers, and most importantly, that these "immigrants" aren't just being trained here only to be shipped back to their country in a couple of years are the most important things to be done to reform immigration as it relates to high tech/highly skilled workers. That could easily be a part of immigration reform, and my guess is that it will.

Did you miss the election last night? The Republicans won. There's not going to be any immigration reform.

Republicans will certainly pass their version.

I doubt this very much.

[Lief 🗽]

Of course a lolbertarian like dead0man who hate trial lawyers; he thinks corporations and the rich should be able to run roughshod over normal people at every turn. Even requiring them to label their food products would be too burdensome on their precious corporate liberties!

Trial lawyers help the injured and sick and otherwise wronged. Seems like a pretty progressive job description to me. Of course they generally make a lot of money, but libertarian and right-wing types generally don't have a problem with well-educated, hard-working people making money, do they? They also do a lot to support liberal and progressive causes. Besides donating a lot of money to the Democratic Party and Democratic candidates, many of them do considerable amounts of pro bono work for clients who could otherwise not afford legal services.

Meanwhile, the mainstream ideology of Silicon Valley is reactionary neoliberalism. Oh sure, give gay people their rights, but taxes and regulation and unions all stand in the way of these tech geniuses latest new app meant to monetize people's privacy.