A Wall Street Journal column on what's wrong with patents makes this cogent observation:
The Constitution grants Congress the power to protect the rights of patent and copyright holders, but only "for limited times" and to "promote the progress of science and useful arts." It does not, by contrast, grant Congress the power to confer the right to real or personal property "to promote the cultivation of land" or "the accumulation of wealth."
If we don't return to that basis of intellectual property, we'll be nothing but a manufacturing station for Asian companies in very short time.
(If you ask nicely, I will email a copy of the article to you. Otherwise, you need to purchase access)
