Since no one else is challenging you on that assertion, look at the graph on page 3 in the paper published by Microsoft:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/download/presskits/citiz...
The lead sentence is:
"The United States faces a growing economic challenge — a substantial and increasing shortage of individuals with the skills needed to fill the jobs the private sector is creating."
> The shortage is of really good programmers.
From your quote:
"... individuals with the skills needed"
Compatible statements, no?
I support immigration reform for top talent. I just have a low tolerance for BS.
This is a position paper from one of the greatest users of H1b visas on immigration reform. It's worth about as much as the fox giving advice on how to build henhouses.
An A-class candidate will get offers from plenty of places, and they will demand good wages, generous startup funds, a job for the wife, access to equipment and so on. If they find the employer distasteful, they will leave because they can, and then all this investment will have to be written off, and there will be another search.
Consequently, there is some wisdom in inviting B-class candidates, because the chance is greater that they will come and will stay. A failed search is expensive as well, someone will have to pick up the teaching load, and there won't be a grant application that year.