I agree with Lokey.

I see a great number of job postings for high end tech. positions that offer a ridiculously low amount of money, often 1/4 of what I get for similar positions, and often located in particularly expensive portions of the US. These ads are purpose built to convince a bureaucrat that there are no locals willing/able to do the job so someone can be imported on the cheap.

According to a White House leaker: "Bush has supported the Tech Republic ever since it asserted its independence when Technoslavakia split. The prez openly supported a Democrat congress which increased the number of visas. Now there's a credit crunch. However the prez plans to stay the course in lobbying congress for even more visas for tech republicans who are in favour of broad bands in the tubes. The President is "The Decider" and not those silicone boobs in Hooraywood. He will decide who gets the reboot if the workers don't want to do the jobs that Americans don't want to do. And this techspurt, Tony Perkins, what is he always on about?"

I've always questioned why the H1-B needs to be expanded, Why not start hiring the people in the country that are tech. I think it's just to get a cheaper labor force. I happen to know quite a few coders who would relocate for jobs.