DOGE co-lead Vivek Ramaswamy has sparked fierce debate within the MAGA movement by taking a bold stance in favour of H-1B visa reforms. His comments, coupled with his broader critique of American culture, place him at odds with some Republican leaders who argue against high-skilled immigration, claiming it could threaten American jobs.
Ramaswamy’s views on H-1B visas are part of a larger narrative he’s been promoting: a call for a cultural reset in America to prioritise excellence over mediocrity. In a recent social media post, he didn’t mince words: “The reason top tech companies often hire foreign-born and first-generation engineers over ‘native’ Americans isn’t because of an innate American IQ deficit—a lazy and wrong explanation. It comes down to the c-word: culture. Tough questions demand tough answers, and if we’re serious about fixing the problem, we have to confront the TRUTH.”
Ramaswamy argues that American culture has long celebrated mediocrity over excellence, a trend he traces back to the 1990s. He contends that this mindset doesn’t start in college but much earlier in life.
“A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math Olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers,” he said. “A culture that venerates Cory from Boy Meets World, or Zack and Slater over Screech in Saved by the Bell, or ‘Stefan’ over Steve Urkel in Family Matters, will not produce the best engineers.”
Ramaswamy…
