The argumenth that H-1Bs are best and brightest is laughable and has been refuted so many time. I don't think anyone would argue against using H-1B as intended to bring best and brightest. If so, it would be nothing for the employers to pay a little bit to prove that the person is so good.
However, the vast majority of H-1Bs are not better than Citizens/Perm residents. And my personal experience working with them side-by-side would actually say that outside of the big-tech the majority of typical H-1Bs are actually significantly worse than their US Citizen peers.
The argument of that we need to import H-1Bs due to shortage on the local market is also laughable given the state the market has been in the last 5 years (constant layoffs, many qualified candidates can't land a job for 1.5-2 years).