In the first of two business forums scheduled for today in Chicago and Boston, Bloomberg defended as essential to the role of immigrants and jobs and creating and running businesses in this country.
Along with William Daley, former chief of staff to President Barack Obama, the mayor spoke to businessmen convened by the Economic Club of Chicago and said the opening of borders to those willing to start new businesses and create jobs help the economy recover so "quickly and without cost."
According to Bloomberg, immigration reform is probably the most important outstanding issue in the U.S., but neither the Democratic President Obama, or challenging Republican Mitt Romney, have submitted proposals to solve it.
"This country can not maintain its global leadership without an immigration policy, because the competition for talent immigrant nations such as Singapore and Germany is very hard and the consequences of losing this battle will be very large," he said.
Daley in turn said that migration issues "hurt our economy, jeopardize job creation and arming our competitors with the best workers in the world."
Bloomberg cited a study by an organization of mayors and business people who he leads, whereby immigrants created a new business out of four last year, and also to contribute to productivity are generators of employment.
Firms operating in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, a foreign-born workers with an advanced diploma obtained at an American university creates, on average, 2.62 jobs in this country.
The report also notes that historically more than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies have been founded by an immigrant or the child of one.
According to Bloomberg, who chose Chicago and Boston for the forums because they are the cities where the presidential candidates have their campaign headquarters, "we must demand that both Obama and Romney just stop talking and start addressing the role of immigrants with seriousness it deserves. "
In his opinion, 'is unforgivable that Democrats and Republicans refuse to support the reform "and suggested a four-point platform to begin the discussion.
First, the granting of permanent residence for foreign students who obtain degrees in technology, "because we need those job creators and not carried to other markets the education they got here."
Second, an increase in the percentage of residences granted on the basis of financial need, which is currently 7 percent, and third to create a specific visa for entrepreneurs.
Finally, the creation of a temporary worker program much needed in agriculture and industries station.
"But first we need comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants already in our country, to help us build our history and economy," he said.
According to Bloomberg, "We remain a nation of immigrants to maintain our greatness. To do otherwise would betray not only our heritage but our future. "
At the end of the day the Mayor will be in Boston with Rupert Murdoch, chief executive of the conglomerate News Corporation, for a roundtable on the subject organized by the Wall Street Journal.
Murdoch Republican said before the meeting in favor of overcoming "politics and antiquated notions about immigration" in order to attract and retain the best talent in the U.S.
"We are a nation built with hard work of immigrants, and our economic prosperity depends on us to compete in the global marketplace," said Murdoch, who was born in Australia
No comments:
Post a Comment