Senators Make One Last Push For Bad Patent Reform That Will Make Problems Even Worse

from the let-it-die dept

Wed, Sep 15th 2010 7:26pm — Mike Masnick

It looks like the same fate may be facing the latest attempt at patent reform that has befallen each and every previous attempt this decade: it will die out without ever being voted on. We had noted that this bill appeared to be stalled out earlier this year, and now the Senators behind it have been reduced to begging for a floor vote on the bill, which seems unlikely at this point. Of course, each year that patent reform gets introduced, it gets more and more watered down, making it worse and worse. Every patent reform bill introduced this decade has been bad -- and would likely make the system worse -- but at least there were a few good ideas included in some of them. Tragically, in the latest bill, even the few good ideas were removed. This is definitely a case where having the bill die out would be a good thing, though I'm sure the next round of reform proposals will probably be even worse (of course). At this point, there are just too many entrenched interests who have been exploiting the system (and, no, we're not talking about the standard "trolls" here -- as their political pull isn't that strong) for too long to get any serious reform going. Instead, we'll just watch as the problems of the existing system get worse and worse, hindering innovation, and ceding the US's ability to compete on a global stage. It's pretty sad to see this in action, but that's what you get in a world where regulatory capture is the norm, and government granted monopolies are not seen as economically dangerous.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: patent reform, patents

11 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Obama, 15 Sep 2010 @ 7:45pm

Reform Will Pass
You are naive if you think 25 bipartisan senators and an Administration in dire need of a NO-COST stimulus (regardless if it works or not) will not be able to get this to a vote.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
kyle clements (profile), 15 Sep 2010 @ 8:52pm

would It be possible
Would it be possible to get a patent on "patent reform stall techniques"?

It seems like that might be the only way to get things sorted out down there.

or, to lighten the workload, just get rid of software patents.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 15 Sep 2010 @ 11:29pm

The U.S. don't want anything being produced in U.S. soil apparently.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Jay (profile), 15 Sep 2010 @ 11:55pm

...
Patent reform can get even worse? Wow, that's a new low there.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 16 Sep 2010 @ 3:59am

Keep Damaging Your Economy, Americans
The Chinese have shown themselves wonderfully willing to engage in the delights of selective enforcement of IP laws. If the existence of American patent trolls end up making American manufactured goods uncompetitive with Chinese goods then manufacturing industry will continue moving to China. Try finding a TV made in USA these days. The same thing is happening for cars, ships and aircraft. What do you think the US economy is going to look like when America has lost pretty much all manufacturing capability?

The rest of the world will shed few tears when the mighty Americans get taken down a peg or two. How ironic to have that job done by American lawyers, with the American people helpless to do anything about it except get angry. Tea party anyone?
[ link to this | view in thread ]
angry dude, 16 Sep 2010 @ 6:41am

Re: Keep Damaging Your Economy, Americans
Mudak

Th 200-year old US patent system is one of the main reasons why America enjoyed such unprecedented prosperity

You know... all those inventors... Bell, Tesla, Edison, Wright brothers, Chester Carlson, Dean Kamen, etc, etc

Anything important invented in modern China ?

Read the back of you IPhone, punk (if you can afford one, which I doubt)

"Designed by Apple in California, assembled in China"
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 16 Sep 2010 @ 6:55am

Hey the rest of the world still copies us and steals our ideas. So design something and make it.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Anonymous Coward, 16 Sep 2010 @ 7:34am

Re: Re: Keep Damaging Your Economy, Americans
"Th 200-year old US patent system is one of the main reasons why America enjoyed such unprecedented prosperity"

Sure. Not that I would expect someone with an imaginary patent to understand the difference between causality and correlation.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
staff, 17 Sep 2010 @ 12:19pm

misnomer
"Of course, each year that patent reform gets introduced, it gets more and more watered down, making it worse and worse. "

Just because they call it “reform” doesn’t mean it is. Please see http://truereform.piausa.org/ for a different/opposing view on patent reform.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rich, 19 Sep 2010 @ 8:44pm

Re: misnomer
You sad old fool. You haven't updated any of the information on that site in years. It's an absolute scam, when you sober up, feel ashamed that you subsist on the hopes and dreams of the gullible.
[ link to this | view in thread ]
Rich, 19 Sep 2010 @ 8:59pm

Re: Re: Keep Damaging Your Economy, Americans
A. The patent system made sense until recently. You know thats what this is about. Not those you just mentioned, but crooks like you. You just like sounding as if you're arguing from traditional heritage. Most of those men would tell you to get lost.

B. Lot's of things are invented in China, look at all the patents they grant every single day! Since, you think every right click patent is an invention, or is that only patent systems you get to game?
[ link to this | view in thread ]