The original robber barons were certain late-nineteenth-century industrialists, especially those who ostentatiously displayed their wealth. The phrase gained widespread popularity as the title of a history published in 1934 by Matthew Josephson, in the depths of the Great Depression. It was applied to industrial leaders and corporations such as Andrew Carnegie and Carnegie Steel, John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil, and Cornelius and William Vanderbilt and their railroads.

Emphasizing efficiency, these men used increasingly modern practices like large-scale, specialized production in place of decentralized methods. They also practiced "vertical integration," controlling not only the manufacturing and sale of the final product but also the raw resources. Thus, Carnegie Steel was involved in coal and iron, and Standard Oil owned wells and refineries, and controlled railroads that transported the oil to market. The term "robber barons" also has been applied to financiers such as Jay Gould and J. Pierpont Morgan, who set up large trusts and provided loans for these industrialists.

The popular sentiment was against these men, so Teddy Roosevelt busted the trusts in the early 1900's. Now, the situation is somewhat different. The government is SUPPORTING the latter day robber barons, against the public will, and well-being.

On May 18th, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to allow as many as 30,000 additional foreign engineers and other high-tech workers into the country during the next four months. The annual cap on temporary visas for such workers has been raised to 95,000, and then to 105,000.

This vote was in response to pleas from such Silicon Valley companies as Sun Microsystems, who are crying about the shortage of qualified help. This "shortage" must come as a surprise to the thousands of computer science graduates that the US produces every year.

The real issue is quite simple. There actually is a shortage of American-born computer types willing to work for nothing. Thus, our new robber barons, in concert with the Feds, are now able to hire engineers from India and other countries for pauper's wages. And what if these new immigrants finally get wise and complain? No problem. Bring in some more fresh foreign recruits.

Why is our government selling out its own people, you ask? As one commentator has noted, "soft money pays big dividends."

Say what you want about Bill Gates. If his people are "underpaid," it is just because most of them are young, and are working long hours for the chance at big rewards. Microsoft has produced scores of millionaires, and has become an American icon--all without asking for help from the Feds.

Of course, now the government is after Microsoft. I guess they've done too well. Then again, maybe the real reason is that Bill didn't spread around enough soft money.

If there has EVER been a worse government in this country's history, than that presently in power, I would sure like to know about it.