Sadly, the schism started by Musk and Ramaswamy over the H-1B visa program may be about nothing more than switching to another existing visa.  While the H-1B does not specify excellence, the  O-1A visa is already in place to facilitate temporary status (three years) for individuals with an extraordinary ability in science, education, business, or athletics.

Musk has stipulated in his arguments (which have driven an unwelcome rift into the MAGA base) that “I am referring to bringing in via legal immigration the top ~0.1% of engineering talent as being essential for America to keep winning.” 

This “top 0.1%” sounds exactly like the parameters laid out in the O-1A visa.  Perhaps he should be arguing that “science” may not currently include tech engineers, so the visa should be expanded to explicitly facilitate this modern branch of science.

Ramaswamy has previously stated that the “H-1B system is badly broken & should be replaced with one that focuses on selecting the very best of the best (not a lottery), pro-competitive (no indentured service to one company)...”  So why would he not support abolishing the “broken system” and switch to a merit-based O-1A visa?

The vitriol reveals something else — a hidden anger and resentment toward what Ramaswamy calls “dumb and lazy” Americans.  Elon is even more outraged at the pushback to his proposition, telling the unwashed public to “take a big step back and F--- YOURSELF in the face,” revealing a surprising side to the man, far more “vulgar” than any of president or candidate Trump’s comments.  “I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend.”  Scary!

Meanwhile, Laura Loomer brings up a salient point.  Elon and Vivek, after helping Trump win, could be seen as enriching themselves by pushing the H-1B visa with its cheap labor and apparent corruption.  If Trump supports such “enrichment,” it could be construed by a hostile Democrat House as an impeachable offense.  Loomer’s argument apparently led to mayhem, with her account coincidentally shadowbanned or some X equivalent.

Nevertheless, Elon and Vivek, displaying novice political savvy, could be setting up a possible future disaster for Trump by involving themselves in this issue in any way.

All the while, a visa already exists that could accommodate both these powerful men’s requirements for a tiny percentage of extraordinarily talented engineers to be available to their companies.  So why are they so angry?  The vociferous language seems out of proportion to the facts.

Why the great attachment to H-1B, and a reluctance to switch to O-1A?  Are the stated motives real?  The Trump campaign was clear in its approach to H-1B.  Trump campaigned on “ending H-1B visa abuse.”  (He pointed to the Disney example, where American workers were laid off and had to train their foreign replacements.)  Are Musk’s and Ramaswamy’s arguments and threats intended to reverse election promises?

We may never know.  In any case, a breach of trust between the base and two of its influential heroes has been precipitated with a concomitant schism in the base itself.  The timing of it all is exceedingly bad. 

And what for?  Since a visa already exists to potentially facilitate the entry of exactly that 0.1% of excellence stipulated my Musk, the damage being done to MAGA cohesion seems unnecessary and, dare I say, petulant.

Image: JD Lasica via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped).