The fact that H1B spouses cannot be legally employed is just stupid.

The US needs to get its immigration together. Fix the law, decrease or increase the cap, stop the H1B program - but please be reasonable. Quality immigrants are more likely to have quality spouses. On the other hand, a mediocre programmer with his housewife will happily jump on the H1B train even if it means she will be unemployed, because that is already a huge quality of life boost for both them.

I would never take the H1B route if I were married, unless I was sure that my wife is OK with that. And I would have to be really, really sure - because that's locking into a situation for years.