Your taxes also pay--though usually not completely--for the aimless four year party that constitutes many college students' experience in higher education. Given the ratio of undergraduates to science & engineering PhD students, I'd wager that the former consumes a much larger portion of your taxes than the latter, and for less return on the investment.
Not to mention the fact that many foreign PhD students have strong desires to live and work here...but Uncle Sam apparently thinks it's better to shove them out.
I shouldn't be concerned about wastage in one area because there's wastage in another area? Doesn't compute.
> Not to mention the fact that many foreign PhD students have strong desires to live and work here...but Uncle Sam apparently thinks it's better to shove them out.
Yes, I believe this. As long as Uncle Sam is cutting off its nose to spite its face, maybe we shouldn't be educating these foreign students. Maybe wait until Uncle Sam is smart enough to first give the students a green card.
In this case, a PhD education in science or engineering is only "wasted" because our existing laws don't allow the student to make use of it domestically. Thus it is all cost and no benefit (at least not to the U.S. -- other countries will be happy to accept them, especially since they are already educated). Failing to make use of their skills is what doesn't compute.
Not to mention the fact that many foreign PhD students have strong desires to live and work here...but Uncle Sam apparently thinks it's better to shove them out.