Having reviewed the history of this organization and its predecessors, I am naturally sort of downbeat over the future prospects of improving things. The arguments used in the debate on the H1-B levels in the 1996 immigration bill were almost a carbon copy of those in the 98 bill. Unlike in the 96 bill, where the discussion was over H1-B reduction, the argument in 98 was over massive increases. Arguments that the scientific field is an occupation like any other, with similar problems and employment dynamics, are not easily grasped. It is obvious to me that those of us who are involved in this situation and hope to do something need to get involved in an organization that is set up to do something about this in a permanent way.
Discussion groups are good, but they are only a small part of the problem.
I know Norman Matloff posted a list of scientific organizations on his mailing list, I ll have to look that up. Any suggestions would be welcome also. This burns up a considerable amount of time of course, as all such activities do. It also highlighted however a fact of life which is becoming obvious to me and probably others in this group, as well as other groups. The fight against our situation is primarily a political one.