Tuesday, October 25, 2016

This Would be Reform: Changing Our Patent System

   If we are to amend our Constitution, I know of nothing more in need of amending than Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8.
   "The Congress shall have Power To . . . promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries . . ."
   I look at the high price of medicine, and can see this Constitutional decree has led to too powerful of monopolies. The Founding Fathers wanted to promote science and the arts. They wanted to protect writings and discoveries. And, note this, they wanted to  help authors and inventors.
   Too often, small inventors are not adequately served. They lack the funds, so they sell their ideas to large companies. I wish we would change that. I wish we would reform out patent laws, starting with the Constitution's Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8.
   Make it so the inventor gets a royalty. Anyone can make the product -- and thus we preserve competition and keep prices down -- but they all must pay royalties to the person who came up with the idea, at least for a limited time.
   Make the small inventor the rich man. Make it so coming up with an idea reaps its reward. I would that we would change our patent laws this way, as it would promote invention and help spur the economy. Making it easy for good ideas to get onto the market place probably will spark our economic growth.




The Congress shall have Power To...promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries....
ARTICLE I, SECTION 8, CLAUSE 8

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