Mitt Romney's brain magnet

Date: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 4:47 PM

<<<<< JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER No. 1761 -- 9/25/2007 >>>>>

Yesterday Mitt Romney told a bunch of high-tech corporatists in Silicon Valley
that, "when Republicans act like Democrats, America loses."

Romney can't really believe what he said about Democrats because some his
policies are almost identical. Like every Democratic candidate, and all
Republicans with the exception of Tancredo, Romney thinks the number of H-1B
visas should be increased. He argued that H-1B visas are used to attract smart
people to the U.S. for positions in computer programming in engineering that
Americans can't or won't do, but the truth of the matter is that H-1B is
nothing but a way for employers to import cheap labor.

Mitt Romney said that H-1B is a brain magnet that attracts the best and
brightest foreign people to the United States. If Romney is right we should
allow H-1Bs to run for president because so far I haven't seen any candidate
for president that is smart enough to run this country. Surely it couldn't be
difficult to use that brain magnet to import a politician that is smarter than
our current crop of dunderheads running for president -- and we could probably
cut the H-1B president's salary in half.

Romney's views on immigration are strictly status quo and quite clichi.
As an example, he often quotes Bill Gates who thinks that green cards should
be stapled to the diploma of all foreign students who earn a PhD in the U.S.
Clinton, Edwards, and Obama also invoke the same clichi. Romney is a
Republican that acts just like a Democrat!

Romney has a bizarre high-tech twist to his liberal ideas on social welfare.
He goes one step better than Clinton and Edwards who propose universal
broadband access -- he wants to give every child from sixth grade and beyond a
government subsidized computer. Strangely Romney doesn't think older people
need computers because he didn't extend his welfare program to anyone over the
age of high school. He didn't say anything about citizenship either, so it's
safe to assume that Romney thinks it's OK to give free computers to illegal
aliens as long as they are attending our schools.

In 2005 Romney proposed that Massachusetts spend $54 million to buy laptops
for every student. The computers would be gifts, so that students could keep
them after graduating. Just think how much this charity will cost on a
national scale? (I included a third article to show that Romney isn't new to
the idea of socialized computers.)

You can bet the audience in Silicon Valley liked Romney's plan for socialized
computers because high-tech companies would make millions of low cost laptops
in China to be used as welfare handouts. Romney's welfare program would make
at least a little sense if the computers were made in the USA, but he didn't
stipulate that as a condition. Of course the "free traders" and libertarians
would probably argue that cheap foreign made computers will save taxpayers
money, so you can bet that the socialized computers in Romney's program will
be something along the lines of this
$199 Chinese laptop made by Lenovo:

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/90774.html

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http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gUDwY3ePc18rXfxD59EQvcKtvC3A

Romney Withholds Comment on Killings
By GLEN JOHNSON

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said
Monday he was troubled that private security guards working in Iraq for his
top counterterrorism adviser have been accused of killing civilians.

But he said he would wait for the results of an investigation before deciding
on a response.

Cofer Black, who joined the campaign in April as senior adviser on
counterterrorism and national security, also is vice chairman of Blackwater
USA, whose workers have been accused of killing up to 11 Iraqi civilians
during a Sept. 16 firefight in central Baghdad square.

"I think the allegations are very serious indeed and that there is an
investigation which is under way," Romney told reporters in his first public
comment on the case. "I don't want to prejudge what will happen from the
investigation, but if the investigations go through in a legitimate and
appropriate way, then I would expect an appropriate response."

He added, "Clearly, the allegations are troubling."

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told The Associated Press in an interview
Sunday that such killings are unacceptable and a threat to his country's
sovereignty.

Earlier Monday, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama wrote to
President Bush, seeking a report on the number of private security contractors
in Iraq and the issuance of rules of engagement, similar to those under which
U.S. armed forces operate.

"It is our government's obligation to ensure that security contractors in Iraq
are subject to adequate and transparent oversight, and that their actions do
not have a negative impact on our military's efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan,"
wrote Obama, a senator from Illinois.

Last week, Bush said he was saddened by the loss of civilian life and would
await a report from the investigation before taking any action. The president
also said the contractors operate under rules of engagement.

Romney met with reporters after addressing about 200 people amid a whirlwind
five-day tour of California. The principal focus is fundraising, including an
event Monday night at the home of eBay Chairman Meg Whitman, but Romney
scheduled public events to help raise his profile in the state.

The pace has gotten to the candidate, who canceled a public event set for
Tuesday in Bakersfield after coming down with a cold.

During the town-hall meeting, Romney played to the Silicon Valley crowd, some
of whom work at nearby Google, Cisco Systems and Apple Inc.

At one point, the former Massachusetts governor spoke of his effort to provide
every sixth-grader and beyond with an inexpensive laptop.

"I want our kids to know how to Google and Yahoo and everything else, so that
when they do a report on George Washington, they don't have to go to the
encyclopedia but they can go to Wikipedia and they can learn what's happening
on an online basis as kids around the world are doing," he said.

The remark brought chuckles from the crowd, since Wikipedia has been
criticized for the accuracy of some of the public contributions to its
information-sharing Web site.

Romney also expressed interest in expanding the number of H-1B visas, which
allow employers to seek temporary help from foreigners holding at least a
bachelor's degree.

"H-1B visas are a great source of a brain magnet, if you will, bringing people
into this country who have skill and experience from other countries," he
said.

Lamenting that many foreign doctoral candidates must leave the country after
graduation, Romney added: "I'd rather staple a green card to your diploma and
say that if you can get a Ph.D. from one of our great institutions, we'd love
you to stay here."

Romney also said technology from the Bay Area should be used to crack down on
illegal immigration, Medicare waste and abuse, and to improve an array of
antiquated federal services.

"I believe that one of things we have to do is take some of the innovation and
technology that you're famous for here and finally apply it in Washington," he
said to applause.

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http://www.mercurynews.com/localnewsheadlines/ci_6992274

Romney tries to break out
CANDIDATE SLAMS GOP BIG-SPENDERS
By Mary Anne Ostrom
Mercury News
San Jose Mercury News
Article Launched:09/25/2007 01:49:34 AM PDT

Seeking to break out of the GOP pack, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney
attacked his own Republican Party leaders, telling a Santa Clara audience
Monday that "when Republicans act like Democrats, America loses."

He didn't name names, but decried Washington Republicans for "big-government,
big-spending" ways and tried to make the case to a largely pro-business
audience that his experience as a venture capitalist makes him the best
Republican nominee for president.

Saying America faces a global battle against terrorism and unprecedented
economic challenges from India and China, the founder of Bain Capital said the
GOP needs to return to its philosophy of operating with a strong military and
strong economy. That includes turning to the private sector to help fix a
broken health care system.

"Washington has been broken over this past decade or two," said Romney, on a
five-day swing through California that includes a few public events sandwiched
between fundraisers. Monday alone he held fundraisers in Redding, Alamo and
two in Atherton, including one at the home of eBay CEO Meg Whitman.

"We have to clean up our own house too," he said of Republicans.

Romney, who leads in polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, has seen his national
momentum stall, especially since former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson entered
the race earlier this month. Without naming President Bush, Romney has stepped
up his criticism of Republicans in recent speeches and television ads, in a
bid to attract fiscal conservatives and to showcase his business background.

"We're not earmarking Republicans, we're not big-government Republicans, we're
not big-spending Republicans, we are Republicans for change," he told about
300 people at a Santa Clara conference center. It marked his first public
campaign event in the Bay Area, although he has given speeches to private
groups and appeared at several local fundraisers.

Monday's event, organized by the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce,
was dubbed "Ask Mitt Anything." But the questions were polite from teachers,
parents and business people. He returned several times to the theme of his
corporate experience.

"In case I didn't tell you 10 times over, I've spent my life on our economy,"
he said to laughter.

He also received big applause for condemning the appearance of Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at Columbia University on Monday. Ahmadinejad
has questioned whether the Holocaust occurred.

"If he has any extra time to visit in New York he ought to go visit the
Holocaust Museum not Columbia University."

Romney has also sought to portray himself as the candidate of family values
and, without naming anyone, said he is irritated by politicians who ask voters
for forgiveness.

"Most people who make mistakes didn't ask to become a United States
congressman, or didn't ask to become a United States senator or the president
of the United States. We expect them at least when they are in office to abide
by higher standards."

He said as president he would stress the importance of family and will be
unveiling his proposals in a speech next month. "We need to teach our kids
before they have babies they get married, because kids deserve a mom and a
dad."

Asked about his position on immigration, Romney said he believes in more
secure borders, an employee-verification system to discourage illegal hiring
and a citizenship path that does not allow illegal residents to get special
treatment. He backs increasing the number of H-1B visas to attract high-
skilled workers.

He decried a brain-drain when Ph.D.s from foreign countries earn their degrees
in the U.S. and then must leave. He said the U.S. should "staple a green card"
to their diplomas.

Talo Mahuinga, president of Kainga Tonga U.S.A, a Bay Area Tongan group, said
he plans to vote for Romney. "I like his family values," he said.

But Paul Steffas, who works for an alternative energy company, was
underwhelmed. Steffas said he had hoped to hear the businessman-candidate talk
more about the valley's role as a global technology leader. "I'm not sure he
knew his audience," Steffas said.

Among the Democrats running for president, Romney saved his harshest criticism
for Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton, and also showed a flash of
humor: "I think when she hears the words private sector she thinks it's
someone in the Army."

After a momentary delay, the audience chuckled after getting the "Private
Sector" pun.

Romney admitted he was trying the line out.

Contact Mary Anne Ostrom at mostrom@mercurynews.com or (415) 477-3794

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http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2005/09/28/for_each_poor_child_in_world_a_laptop/

For each poor child in world: a laptop
MIT Media Lab to unveil $100 hand-crank device to lift developing nations By
Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff | September 28, 2005

Nicholas Negroponte, cofounder of the Media Lab at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, will show off a model of a $100 hand-crank laptop today that he
designed as an educational device for children in remote areas.

But a cheap computer that does not rely on batteries or electricity could also
serve as a life-saving communications tool following a natural disaster. Just
as New Orleans city officials used an Internet telephone system to call for
aid during Hurricane Katrina, emergency workers might come to rely on wind-up
laptops equipped with wireless Internet access.

''We have been asked directly about this," said Negroponte, who will show a
model of the device today at an MIT technology conference. ''Remember that the
military used wind-up radios for years."

While the idea may sound promising for post-disaster communications, it still
has serious drawbacks. A wireless laptop, however inexpensive, would be of no
use unless it was within range of a functioning Internet base station. Such
stations might well be destroyed in a hurricane, earthquake, or terrorist
attack, rendering the laptop useless.

In any case, the plan is to pass them out by the millions to boost school
performance in developing countries, and in Massachusetts. The concept has
already been embraced by government officials in Brazil, Thailand, and Egypt.
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has jumped onto the bandwagon, with a plan
to issue the laptops to the state's schoolchildren.

Negroponte plans to have working prototypes of his machine by early next year,
with mass production to begin by the final quarter of 2006. There are no plans
to make the laptops available to general consumers.

The idea was born in 1999, when Negroponte and his wife set up two schools in
Cambodia and equipped all of the students with laptops. He was so impressed
with the results that he now wants to create a laptop cheap enough to provide
one to every poor child in the world.

''The computer provides the only way to give students a real foundation in
21st-century skills," Negroponte said.

In January, Negroponte joined Media Lab colleagues Joe Jacobson and Seymour
Papert to create One Laptop Per Child, a nonprofit organization to design and
distribute the ultra-cheap computers. The group is working with chipmaker
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., and Jacobson's own company,
E Ink Corp. of Cambridge, which makes ''electronic ink"
display screens. These displays consume a fraction of the power used by
today's laptop screens, and could be made for as little as $30 each, far
cheaper than current laptop screens.

The One Laptop Per Child computer can also keep costs down by using flash
memory chips in place of a mechanical hard drive, and a low-powered processor
to deliver enough performance for basic computing tasks and Internet access.
The laptop will connect to the online world with a wireless connection. It
will also include ''mesh networking" technology that lets each laptop
communicate automatically with any other machine in range. If just one laptop
has direct access to the Net, others can easily connect to it and share a
single online connection. The entire package, although it can be powered by
standard electric current, runs on a plentiful power source -- human muscles
turning a crank mounted on the side of the computer.

''Our interest is really in Third World development," Papert said. ''I believe
that it's essential to solving the problems of poverty, violence, and
environment, to have better education."

Papert said that Thailand's prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, Brazil's
president, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, and Egypt's ministry of education have
all expressed interest in the plan.

But Romney believes many Massachusetts students could also benefit from the
laptops. He said he was already considering a plan to buy laptops for each of
the state's middle and high school students at $500 apiece. But then Secretary
of Administration and Finance Eric Kriss told him about MIT's $100 laptop
plan. After meeting in July with Media Lab officials, Romney concluded that
the lower price tag of their proposed computer could enable the state to roll
out the program more quickly.

Last week, as part of an education reform plan, Romney proposed to spend
$54 million to buy one of Negroponte's laptops for every student. The first
three grades would get computers during fiscal year 2007, while students in
the other three grades would get them the following year. The computers would
be gifts, so that students could keep them after graduating.

Romney admitted that the case for student laptops remains inconclusive. But he
added that ''the evidence so far is positive."

For Negroponte, Massachusetts' decision to adopt his laptops is a valuable
endorsement of the One Laptop Per Child campaign.

''I am always asked in my travels through the developing world: 'If this is
such a good idea, why isn't America doing it?' " Negroponte said. ''Well, now
they are."

Hiawatha Bray can be reached at bray@globe.com.

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