rockstart
07-11 08:07 AM
Is it really EB2 = 1 June 2006 . I cant beleive my eyes
h1b_forever
03-04 09:57 AM
I can understand rejecting loans for H1 since it is supposed to be temporary employment, but it does not make sense to reject for people on EAD.
I am in the process of refinancing, but I provided my H1 papers instead of EAD and my application was approved.
It is possible each company has a different policy. I went through Wells Fargo this time.
I am in the process of refinancing, but I provided my H1 papers instead of EAD and my application was approved.
It is possible each company has a different policy. I went through Wells Fargo this time.
santb1975
06-02 09:51 PM
We need 2194$ to reach 20K
9years
09-13 10:37 AM
Hi All,
My Eb2 Perm Labor Approved. It took 2 months to get approved. It was filed on 07/09/2010 and approved on (email received by HR dept) 09/10/2010. This is just to share with all of you.
Thank you.
My Eb2 Perm Labor Approved. It took 2 months to get approved. It was filed on 07/09/2010 and approved on (email received by HR dept) 09/10/2010. This is just to share with all of you.
Thank you.
more...
spicy_guy
09-01 11:30 AM
Landed here on jan 1st, 1998 (F1)
Survived 2 recessions
No hope as labour filled in eb3
Oh man! Landed here in 1998. But your PD is 2008 and IN EB3?!?!?
You must be the oldest person in this thread as well. :D
Survived 2 recessions
No hope as labour filled in eb3
Oh man! Landed here in 1998. But your PD is 2008 and IN EB3?!?!?
You must be the oldest person in this thread as well. :D
skv
06-25 10:25 AM
No
Hi,
Back again, I'm counting the days for the PERM approval at Atlanta, hope we all be able to file, before the retro kicks in. :)
Hi,
Back again, I'm counting the days for the PERM approval at Atlanta, hope we all be able to file, before the retro kicks in. :)
more...
wantgc23
08-14 08:23 PM
I have read the Original quote several times and dont see how they mean June 2007, To me it is clear that they are talking about June 2008.
Sorry to sound so negative, but I think we are looking at something like Sept 2001 for EB3-I in Oct bulletin.
I doubt that USCIS can talk cryptic like Alan Greenspan, they probably meant that the PD will be back to what it was in june 08. There are only 3k visas per category and thousands of applicants, i dont see a logical reason why the dates will move 2-3 years. If they do, i too will buy you dinner. nothing is logical with USCIS... during the last couple of weeks of September you will see significant numbers of EB 2 approvals and then its back to square one for another year.
The main reason for the 2 year movement in june 07 was because they wanted to allocate all unallocated visas for the year, then the July VB came out and the rest is history. They have improved the coordination between DOJ and USICS since. Just want to be realistic, if we start assuming thing people get complacent and stop doing the little activities that help us.
Sorry to sound so negative, but I think we are looking at something like Sept 2001 for EB3-I in Oct bulletin.
I doubt that USCIS can talk cryptic like Alan Greenspan, they probably meant that the PD will be back to what it was in june 08. There are only 3k visas per category and thousands of applicants, i dont see a logical reason why the dates will move 2-3 years. If they do, i too will buy you dinner. nothing is logical with USCIS... during the last couple of weeks of September you will see significant numbers of EB 2 approvals and then its back to square one for another year.
The main reason for the 2 year movement in june 07 was because they wanted to allocate all unallocated visas for the year, then the July VB came out and the rest is history. They have improved the coordination between DOJ and USICS since. Just want to be realistic, if we start assuming thing people get complacent and stop doing the little activities that help us.
viva
02-10 12:07 PM
Folks,
I know this has been discussed in the past on this and other message boards but I wanted to hear some more opinions about it. What is the value of green card to you?
I know different ppl have different reasons like ability to switch jobs, ability to travel freely, ability to have a job for spouse etc. All said and done how many of you would like to go back to your home countries in the next 5-6 years? I know a lot of people have issues such as aging parents back home or they simply don't see themselves living in a foreign land forever. I guess my question is what percentage of ppl aspiring for a GC view it as a convenience vs percentage of ppl who actually see it as a path to settling down in US for good.
Thanks
While I have been an ardent supporter of the IV core team, I have begun to reflect on why we are not reaching our required targets in contribution. I think there are two reasons. Firstly, we need to reveal how much money we need. This would give people an idea of how much is needed and how much needs to be contributed. Otherwise, people may assume that we are not spending their previous contributions wisely and are always asking for contributions. This becomes even more true because we do not have any actual results to show for our efforts. Ok, this in any way does not demean the efforts of the whole organization so far, but the world runs on results and judges you by it.
The second reason may the overzealousness with which logiclife posts his messages for contributions. While I understand his frustration, his overzealousness may be perceived as arrogance by some. Rather than sending e-mails and overzealous posts, we need to re-invent our strategy for seeking contributions. While I don't have the answers on what the right strategy should be, what we are doing right now is clearly not working. Perhaps, we can begin with logiclife toning down his overzealousness in his postings for contributions.
Just my two cents.....
I know this has been discussed in the past on this and other message boards but I wanted to hear some more opinions about it. What is the value of green card to you?
I know different ppl have different reasons like ability to switch jobs, ability to travel freely, ability to have a job for spouse etc. All said and done how many of you would like to go back to your home countries in the next 5-6 years? I know a lot of people have issues such as aging parents back home or they simply don't see themselves living in a foreign land forever. I guess my question is what percentage of ppl aspiring for a GC view it as a convenience vs percentage of ppl who actually see it as a path to settling down in US for good.
Thanks
While I have been an ardent supporter of the IV core team, I have begun to reflect on why we are not reaching our required targets in contribution. I think there are two reasons. Firstly, we need to reveal how much money we need. This would give people an idea of how much is needed and how much needs to be contributed. Otherwise, people may assume that we are not spending their previous contributions wisely and are always asking for contributions. This becomes even more true because we do not have any actual results to show for our efforts. Ok, this in any way does not demean the efforts of the whole organization so far, but the world runs on results and judges you by it.
The second reason may the overzealousness with which logiclife posts his messages for contributions. While I understand his frustration, his overzealousness may be perceived as arrogance by some. Rather than sending e-mails and overzealous posts, we need to re-invent our strategy for seeking contributions. While I don't have the answers on what the right strategy should be, what we are doing right now is clearly not working. Perhaps, we can begin with logiclife toning down his overzealousness in his postings for contributions.
Just my two cents.....
more...
rongha_2000
04-30 04:03 PM
They are bullsxxting themselves and everyone else. I am amazed..!! These committee members dont have a clue of what they are hearing about. Mixing GCs with H1-B. This issue is always a killer and more inportantly not even related to issue at hand..!!
I am losing hopes.. I might find solace in Alberta, I hope.
I don't understand how removing the country limit may have resorce implications, as how I understand is, instead of adjucation an EB-2(2008) from Mali you'll be adjucating an EB-2(2004) from India, what difference it is for them ???
I am losing hopes.. I might find solace in Alberta, I hope.
I don't understand how removing the country limit may have resorce implications, as how I understand is, instead of adjucation an EB-2(2008) from Mali you'll be adjucating an EB-2(2004) from India, what difference it is for them ???
Jimi_Hendrix
11-16 02:33 PM
Let us keep working.
more...
sufferer
02-07 10:06 AM
Hi,
I been a member of IV for a long time and just to keep myself anonymous for a while I created this account. I am so sorry for opening a thread in a completely irrelevant forum but I have no idea what to do. So, I request all the members to please help me by providing some kind of information.
Here is my story:
I came to US in 2002 and completed masters and been working since then. I got married couple of years ago. Whatever the monetary gifts the girls parents gave as part of the marriage, I put all that in an account on the girls name within 2 days of the marriage. We came to India and from then on the problems started. She and her parents want me to separate from my parents and support their family by sending money to their parents which I couldn't do. How can I leave my parents in their old age when they worked very hard to give a decent life. She has been harassing me mentally for this all the time. Recently her parents have been threatening me saying they will file dowry case in India if I don't send money or cut myself off from my parents. I provided for the girl in all possible ways, even encouraged her to join school to get a masters degree which she stopped soon. We had a baby recently and my parents visited us to help us with the baby. She started harassing them too by saying something or other.
I am very frustrated at this situation and I don't know what to do. I am on H1B and applied for 485 too. At times I feel like applying for divorce but when I think about my little baby I am not able to take that step. The house we currently live in, I bought long before the marriage. It came to a situation where we cannot live together. I cannot ask her to go out of the house because she doesn't have anywhere to go and with the baby even if she leaves, it will be very tough. I said I will leave the house and stay in a apartment for which she threatens to commit suicide. So, I don't know what to do. I am worried about my baby because between all this my baby's life will be spoiled and I don't want that. Can anyone please tell me what I can do in this matter?
Thank you very much for taking time to read this.
I been a member of IV for a long time and just to keep myself anonymous for a while I created this account. I am so sorry for opening a thread in a completely irrelevant forum but I have no idea what to do. So, I request all the members to please help me by providing some kind of information.
Here is my story:
I came to US in 2002 and completed masters and been working since then. I got married couple of years ago. Whatever the monetary gifts the girls parents gave as part of the marriage, I put all that in an account on the girls name within 2 days of the marriage. We came to India and from then on the problems started. She and her parents want me to separate from my parents and support their family by sending money to their parents which I couldn't do. How can I leave my parents in their old age when they worked very hard to give a decent life. She has been harassing me mentally for this all the time. Recently her parents have been threatening me saying they will file dowry case in India if I don't send money or cut myself off from my parents. I provided for the girl in all possible ways, even encouraged her to join school to get a masters degree which she stopped soon. We had a baby recently and my parents visited us to help us with the baby. She started harassing them too by saying something or other.
I am very frustrated at this situation and I don't know what to do. I am on H1B and applied for 485 too. At times I feel like applying for divorce but when I think about my little baby I am not able to take that step. The house we currently live in, I bought long before the marriage. It came to a situation where we cannot live together. I cannot ask her to go out of the house because she doesn't have anywhere to go and with the baby even if she leaves, it will be very tough. I said I will leave the house and stay in a apartment for which she threatens to commit suicide. So, I don't know what to do. I am worried about my baby because between all this my baby's life will be spoiled and I don't want that. Can anyone please tell me what I can do in this matter?
Thank you very much for taking time to read this.
rustum
07-06 12:37 AM
Dug it. Digged all the messages. I can only dig once. Can i dig more than one time.
more...
Libra
09-14 01:00 PM
thank you gconmymind and Bhanu for the contributions. Hope to see you guys in DC.
fromnaija
06-01 05:20 PM
The date of the I-140 approval matters just in case the visa dates are retrogressed again before your case is adjudicated, in which case it will be better the longer the delay on your 140 approval. See examlpe 5 in raju123's posting above.
Thank you for your response......
Yes I believe paperwork will be filed for all my dependants concurrently. Does it even matter when the I140 is approved?
It seems that under the new law his cutoff date is Jun 1 since that is when my priority date will be current so as long as he applies for a green card within one year he is ok.
So if we apply concurrently when is his green card application deemed to have been applied for? When we file concurrently or only when and if the 140is approved.
What do you think?
Thank you for your response......
Yes I believe paperwork will be filed for all my dependants concurrently. Does it even matter when the I140 is approved?
It seems that under the new law his cutoff date is Jun 1 since that is when my priority date will be current so as long as he applies for a green card within one year he is ok.
So if we apply concurrently when is his green card application deemed to have been applied for? When we file concurrently or only when and if the 140is approved.
What do you think?
more...
tinamatthew
07-21 04:20 PM
Are there any Schedule A professionals who are filing this July?
Any ideas/news you can share?
Any ideas for those stuck in 40 days employer posting requirements, that will end sometime in August.
Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Any ideas/news you can share?
Any ideas for those stuck in 40 days employer posting requirements, that will end sometime in August.
Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
addsf345
11-10 02:27 PM
Chandu,
Thank you for taking time writing the blog. People like you make this website so much helpful and valuable.
I found one very detailed thread on Ron Gotcher's website. He mentioned that cancellation or revocation of I-140 doesn't automatically revokes EAD.
this is quite interesting and a big relief if true.
Click to read yourself (http://immigration-information.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18946&postcount=28)
I would suggest to read this thread completely to anyone who is AOS candidate. Even if you are not thinking of changing your job, during current economy, anyone should be prepared to use AC21 if needed.
"An EAD remains valid until it expires or is explicitly revoked. Since most AOS denials flow from I-140 problems, an EAD card is not going to get revoked immediately. If nothing else, they have to wait until the interval for an I-140 appeal has lapsed - even if you don't appeal."
Good find desi485, gave you green!
Can any one else confirm this? Is there anyone who have discussed this with their own attorneys? or have first hand experience? Please share with rest of the IV community. I am specifically worried over if I will be able to continue working for new employer on EAD in above unfortunate scenario????
I am planning to join govt agency which is not ready to file for H1B, and also going on unpaid leaves may not be an option as well. Should I take this risk?
Thank you for taking time writing the blog. People like you make this website so much helpful and valuable.
I found one very detailed thread on Ron Gotcher's website. He mentioned that cancellation or revocation of I-140 doesn't automatically revokes EAD.
this is quite interesting and a big relief if true.
Click to read yourself (http://immigration-information.com/forums/showpost.php?p=18946&postcount=28)
I would suggest to read this thread completely to anyone who is AOS candidate. Even if you are not thinking of changing your job, during current economy, anyone should be prepared to use AC21 if needed.
"An EAD remains valid until it expires or is explicitly revoked. Since most AOS denials flow from I-140 problems, an EAD card is not going to get revoked immediately. If nothing else, they have to wait until the interval for an I-140 appeal has lapsed - even if you don't appeal."
Good find desi485, gave you green!
Can any one else confirm this? Is there anyone who have discussed this with their own attorneys? or have first hand experience? Please share with rest of the IV community. I am specifically worried over if I will be able to continue working for new employer on EAD in above unfortunate scenario????
I am planning to join govt agency which is not ready to file for H1B, and also going on unpaid leaves may not be an option as well. Should I take this risk?
more...
sufferer
02-07 10:06 AM
Hi,
I been a member of IV for a long time and just to keep myself anonymous for a while I created this account. I am so sorry for opening a thread in a completely irrelevant forum but I have no idea what to do. So, I request all the members to please help me by providing some kind of information.
Here is my story:
I came to US in 2002 and completed masters and been working since then. I got married couple of years ago. Whatever the monetary gifts the girls parents gave as part of the marriage, I put all that in an account on the girls name within 2 days of the marriage. We came to India and from then on the problems started. She and her parents want me to separate from my parents and support their family by sending money to their parents which I couldn't do. How can I leave my parents in their old age when they worked very hard to give a decent life. She has been harassing me mentally for this all the time. Recently her parents have been threatening me saying they will file dowry case in India if I don't send money or cut myself off from my parents. I provided for the girl in all possible ways, even encouraged her to join school to get a masters degree which she stopped soon. We had a baby recently and my parents visited us to help us with the baby. She started harassing them too by saying something or other.
I am very frustrated at this situation and I don't know what to do. I am on H1B and applied for 485 too. At times I feel like applying for divorce but when I think about my little baby I am not able to take that step. The house we currently live in, I bought long before the marriage. It came to a situation where we cannot live together. I cannot ask her to go out of the house because she doesn't have anywhere to go and with the baby even if she leaves, it will be very tough. I said I will leave the house and stay in a apartment for which she threatens to commit suicide. So, I don't know what to do. I am worried about my baby because between all this my baby's life will be spoiled and I don't want that. Can anyone please tell me what I can do in this matter?
Thank you very much for taking time to read this.
I been a member of IV for a long time and just to keep myself anonymous for a while I created this account. I am so sorry for opening a thread in a completely irrelevant forum but I have no idea what to do. So, I request all the members to please help me by providing some kind of information.
Here is my story:
I came to US in 2002 and completed masters and been working since then. I got married couple of years ago. Whatever the monetary gifts the girls parents gave as part of the marriage, I put all that in an account on the girls name within 2 days of the marriage. We came to India and from then on the problems started. She and her parents want me to separate from my parents and support their family by sending money to their parents which I couldn't do. How can I leave my parents in their old age when they worked very hard to give a decent life. She has been harassing me mentally for this all the time. Recently her parents have been threatening me saying they will file dowry case in India if I don't send money or cut myself off from my parents. I provided for the girl in all possible ways, even encouraged her to join school to get a masters degree which she stopped soon. We had a baby recently and my parents visited us to help us with the baby. She started harassing them too by saying something or other.
I am very frustrated at this situation and I don't know what to do. I am on H1B and applied for 485 too. At times I feel like applying for divorce but when I think about my little baby I am not able to take that step. The house we currently live in, I bought long before the marriage. It came to a situation where we cannot live together. I cannot ask her to go out of the house because she doesn't have anywhere to go and with the baby even if she leaves, it will be very tough. I said I will leave the house and stay in a apartment for which she threatens to commit suicide. So, I don't know what to do. I am worried about my baby because between all this my baby's life will be spoiled and I don't want that. Can anyone please tell me what I can do in this matter?
Thank you very much for taking time to read this.
dipmay2002
11-05 02:14 PM
If my Wife's employer starts GC for her on EB2, can my case be ported / interfile to her's? She is dependent on my GC application. :eek:
jetflyer
06-10 09:20 AM
There is a chance of EB1 & EB2 ROW spillover :D
US bulletin is out too:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_4252.html
EMPLOYMENT SECOND PREFERENCE VISA AVAILABILITY
There have been questions raised regarding the way numbers have been provided to the China and India in the Employment Second preference categories beginning in April. Section 202(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act states that if total demand for visas in an Employment preference category is insufficient to use all available visa numbers in that category in a calendar quarter, then the unused numbers may be made available without regard to the annual per-country limit. (For example: If the second preference annual limit were 40,000, number use by �All Other Countries� were estimated to be only 25,000, and the China/India combined number use based on their per-country limits were 6,000, then there would be 9,000 numbers unused. Those 9,000 numbers could then be made available to China and India applicants without regard to their per-country limits.)
Based on the informaiton available, it was been determined that the demand from �All Other Countries� for Second preference numbers, plus the amount of numbers available under China and India Second preference per-country limit, would be insufficient to utilize all available numbers under the annual limit for this category. Therefore, pursuant to Section 202(a)(5) of the Act, the unused numbers have been made available to China and India Second preference applicants. Since Section 203(e)(1) of the Act requires that such unused numbers be made available strictly in priority date order, the China and India applicants have been subject to the identical cut-off date. As there are more Employment Second preference applicants from India and the Indian applicants may have earlier priority dates, it is likely that Indian applicants will receive a larger portion of the available numbers than Chinese applicants.
It should be noted that the Employment Second preference category is "Current" for all countries except China and India. If at any point it appears that demand from �All Other Countries� would utilize all available numbers, then an adjustment would be made to the China/India cut-off date. Therefore, providing the unused numbers to China and India in no way disadvantages applicants from any other country, and helps to insure that the worldwide annual limit can be reached.
EMPLOYMENT THIRD PREFERENCE VISA AVAILABILITY
Demand for numbers, primarily by USCIS for adjustment of status cases, will bring the entire Employment Third preference category to the annual numerical limit by the end of June. As a result, this category will become �unavailable� beginning in July and will remain so for the remainder of FY-2008. Such action will only be temporary, however, and Employment Third preference availability will return to the cut-off dates established for June in October, the first month of the new fiscal year.
US bulletin is out too:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_4252.html
EMPLOYMENT SECOND PREFERENCE VISA AVAILABILITY
There have been questions raised regarding the way numbers have been provided to the China and India in the Employment Second preference categories beginning in April. Section 202(a)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act states that if total demand for visas in an Employment preference category is insufficient to use all available visa numbers in that category in a calendar quarter, then the unused numbers may be made available without regard to the annual per-country limit. (For example: If the second preference annual limit were 40,000, number use by �All Other Countries� were estimated to be only 25,000, and the China/India combined number use based on their per-country limits were 6,000, then there would be 9,000 numbers unused. Those 9,000 numbers could then be made available to China and India applicants without regard to their per-country limits.)
Based on the informaiton available, it was been determined that the demand from �All Other Countries� for Second preference numbers, plus the amount of numbers available under China and India Second preference per-country limit, would be insufficient to utilize all available numbers under the annual limit for this category. Therefore, pursuant to Section 202(a)(5) of the Act, the unused numbers have been made available to China and India Second preference applicants. Since Section 203(e)(1) of the Act requires that such unused numbers be made available strictly in priority date order, the China and India applicants have been subject to the identical cut-off date. As there are more Employment Second preference applicants from India and the Indian applicants may have earlier priority dates, it is likely that Indian applicants will receive a larger portion of the available numbers than Chinese applicants.
It should be noted that the Employment Second preference category is "Current" for all countries except China and India. If at any point it appears that demand from �All Other Countries� would utilize all available numbers, then an adjustment would be made to the China/India cut-off date. Therefore, providing the unused numbers to China and India in no way disadvantages applicants from any other country, and helps to insure that the worldwide annual limit can be reached.
EMPLOYMENT THIRD PREFERENCE VISA AVAILABILITY
Demand for numbers, primarily by USCIS for adjustment of status cases, will bring the entire Employment Third preference category to the annual numerical limit by the end of June. As a result, this category will become �unavailable� beginning in July and will remain so for the remainder of FY-2008. Such action will only be temporary, however, and Employment Third preference availability will return to the cut-off dates established for June in October, the first month of the new fiscal year.
leo2606
09-09 08:38 PM
Contributed $100 today morning.
I am still coming to D.C rally, volunteering to transport our folks travelling to IAD or Regan, bringing 7 additonal folks to D.C rally with me(6 new members I was able to pull since last one month, no financial contribution yet at this point).Still targeting new folks who doesn't know any thing about IV and it's efforts.
I am still coming to D.C rally, volunteering to transport our folks travelling to IAD or Regan, bringing 7 additonal folks to D.C rally with me(6 new members I was able to pull since last one month, no financial contribution yet at this point).Still targeting new folks who doesn't know any thing about IV and it's efforts.
gdilla
07-20 01:23 PM
From reader "MA", the blog TalkingPointsMemo.com -he's referring to the slowdown in criminal cases at the USA office in SF, not immigration. But interesting, nonetheless:
Your post . . . about the slowdown in cases in San Francisco got me thinking about the larger bureaucratic issue associated with more than half a dozen years under Bush.
This is a relatively trivial incident, but a while back I attempted to get my passport renewed and discovered the wait times had doubled (partly because of the new rule requiring travelers to Canada to have passports) -- trivial, yes, but it also highlights some of the more mundane effects of an administration run by people who have a fundamental antipathy toward government service and government programs.
This gets writ large in the case of incidents like Hurricane Katrina, the prosecution of the Iraq war and so on...but it also gets writ small in thousands of details of everyday bureaucratic life -- especially as the Bush influence trickles down through the bureaucracy from political appointees to career employees.
If the governing Bush/Cheney philosophy is that the public sector doesn't work, that it is inherently not just inefficient and corrupt, but antagonistic to citizens and individuals, this philosophy has a way of slithering its way into the workings of the system itself -- not just in the case of high profile corruption scandals, but also, again on a more mundane level, in the day-to-day operation of government bureaucracies.
And here's the weird thing, even though that sounds so unexciting, there's something almost stifling about imagining a bureaucracy that really is antagonistic to individuals -- one that not only slows down, but finds some vindication in throwing up road blocks, thwarting citizen requests, and, in the end, not serving the public. I have family members who lived in former communist countries -- and that's really how the bureaucracy was there, and life under those circumstances was made much more difficult, bureaucratic responsibilities increasingly cumbersome, much of the time the system just didn't work, and had to be gamed (or bribed).
Although I have large scale concerns about Bush's handling of the war, the economy, and so on, I also have some more micro scale concerns about what his philosophy of governance means for everyday life and our everyday interactions with the bureaucracy. Indeed, this scale, though more mundane, is also the one that in some ways affects the majority of the population more directly, even if much less dramatically. I've lived in places where the bureaucracy functions quite well, and where citizens take a certain pride in the fact that the government serves them.
The idea of living in a country where the administration's goal is to demonstrate just how bad government is/can be scares me at this very prosaic level -- I want my schools and courts and inspection agencies and passport agencies and so on to be run by people who really believe in government service and in the fact that the government can work effectively to serve the populace. Bush seems to be doing everything he can to dismantle such a world -- and he risks fueling a vicious circle in so doing
Your post . . . about the slowdown in cases in San Francisco got me thinking about the larger bureaucratic issue associated with more than half a dozen years under Bush.
This is a relatively trivial incident, but a while back I attempted to get my passport renewed and discovered the wait times had doubled (partly because of the new rule requiring travelers to Canada to have passports) -- trivial, yes, but it also highlights some of the more mundane effects of an administration run by people who have a fundamental antipathy toward government service and government programs.
This gets writ large in the case of incidents like Hurricane Katrina, the prosecution of the Iraq war and so on...but it also gets writ small in thousands of details of everyday bureaucratic life -- especially as the Bush influence trickles down through the bureaucracy from political appointees to career employees.
If the governing Bush/Cheney philosophy is that the public sector doesn't work, that it is inherently not just inefficient and corrupt, but antagonistic to citizens and individuals, this philosophy has a way of slithering its way into the workings of the system itself -- not just in the case of high profile corruption scandals, but also, again on a more mundane level, in the day-to-day operation of government bureaucracies.
And here's the weird thing, even though that sounds so unexciting, there's something almost stifling about imagining a bureaucracy that really is antagonistic to individuals -- one that not only slows down, but finds some vindication in throwing up road blocks, thwarting citizen requests, and, in the end, not serving the public. I have family members who lived in former communist countries -- and that's really how the bureaucracy was there, and life under those circumstances was made much more difficult, bureaucratic responsibilities increasingly cumbersome, much of the time the system just didn't work, and had to be gamed (or bribed).
Although I have large scale concerns about Bush's handling of the war, the economy, and so on, I also have some more micro scale concerns about what his philosophy of governance means for everyday life and our everyday interactions with the bureaucracy. Indeed, this scale, though more mundane, is also the one that in some ways affects the majority of the population more directly, even if much less dramatically. I've lived in places where the bureaucracy functions quite well, and where citizens take a certain pride in the fact that the government serves them.
The idea of living in a country where the administration's goal is to demonstrate just how bad government is/can be scares me at this very prosaic level -- I want my schools and courts and inspection agencies and passport agencies and so on to be run by people who really believe in government service and in the fact that the government can work effectively to serve the populace. Bush seems to be doing everything he can to dismantle such a world -- and he risks fueling a vicious circle in so doing
No comments:
Post a Comment