A republican did something awesome.

In addition to launching what is possibly their shittiest operating system ever, Microsoft just announced some serious layoffs. They are cutting the jobs of 5000 workers. The bitch of the situation is that fact that these are skilled, well paying jobs. The kind of jobs that people aspire to and can use to build a solid future for themselves and their families. That is not even the worst part of the deal. Steve Ballmer and his cronies are pushing for higher caps on the number of H1-B visas. These are the "highly skilled" worker visas.  They are a vehicle for outsourcing American jobs without the inconvenience of leaving the country. If Microsoft executives thought about product development with the same creativity and zeal as they do with cost cutting and labor issues, they would have the boys in Cupertino surrounded. Alas, that is not the case. They think they can regain some sort of relevance by laying off the reasonably well paid and benefited American employees, and importing a 3rd world workforce with subsidized educations. They probably think they deserve a tax break too.

Another factor in this whole equation is the involvement of Senator Chuck Grassley (R. Iowa)

Unlike his other conservative brethren, he does not want all the American jobs shipped overseas. He sent a letter to Steve Ballmer. That's right. A letter. He demanded that American workers take priority over the H1-B imports. Who the hell does he think he is talking that way to Steve Ballmer? He is only a US Senator. I do not necessarily agree with Senator Grassley on some of his political views, (the whole Shiite Christian from Iowa thing scares me a little) but the fact that he had the moral courage to stand up to a software giant is laudable. 

Now, for Microsoft, instead of thinking up sneaky ways to avoid paying higher wages to Americans, think up ways to develop new and innovative products (Windows Vista? Honestly?). Regain your market share. Do the right thing. Hire Americans. Make a gesture of goodwill before your time expires. If you think that you are untouchable, you have another think coming. You have exposed your soft, white underbelly in the last 4 years and it is only a matter of time before you have to deal with the consequences.