I say the following as a software developer so I'm one of the lucky ones in this new world: When someone from the silicon valley uses the argument that "We nee

I say the following as a software developer so I'm one of the lucky ones in this new world: When someone from the silicon valley uses the argument that "We need to do X to maintain our technological competitiveness." the "our" should be viewed as referring to those that have the capital to benefit from this increased "competitiveness". The Chinese are very competitive - because their labor is relatively cheap. This is the axis of "competitiveness" capital is aiming for with increasing H1B quotas, not "get smarter people". They could get all the smart people they want but that would require them to share more of the profits with those smart people - you know, the ones that actually create the value in the first place. All this "disruption" has benefited a very few disproportionately and the "winners" would like the rest of the populace to give up a little more so they can make even more money. "Oh but Chris, these new companies create jobs so we should cut them a special break - it helps us all in the end." According to Chris Benner, a regional economist at the University of California, Davis, there has been no net increase in jobs in Silicon Valley since 1998; digital technologies inevitably mean you can generate billions of dollars from a low employment base.[1] [1] http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/531726/technology-and-inequality/ http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/531726/technol...