Washington, We Don’t Have A Science And Engineering Problem By Edwin S. Rubenstein

Fifty years ago Sputnik revealed what many feared was a science and technology "gap" between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. Since then our competitors have changed, but the perception of second-class status hasn’t. Many are calling for a new "Sputnik spike" to launch more Americans into science and engineering careers.

The most vocal groups?

Surprise, surprise: the educrat and big-business lobbies.

In August President Bush signed the America COMPETES Act aimed at recruiting more science and math teachers and drawing more students into those disciplines. Earlier efforts along these lines haven’t stopped Bill Gates and his counterparts from Google, Intel, and other high-tech companies from claiming the "skills shortage" can only be resolved by importing foreign scientists and engineers.

We have long argued that Gates and Co. had a self-serving agenda—namely, low wages and the exploitation of foreign workers who are little more than indentured servants while in their employ.

Washington, We Don’t Have A Science And Engineering Problem ...

Sphere: Related Content