The first thing you need to know about the U.S. patent system is that it has a backlog of more than 700,000 patents.
The second thing you need to know is that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been so neglected for so many years–essentially robbed of funds by Congress, which reappropriated portions of the agency’s budget for other purposes–that the organization tasked with protecting America’s technological and scientific assets labors with too few staff and a “20-year old technology infrastructure that does not even remotely enable it to take advantage of modern information technology.”
And the most important thing you need to know about the U.S. patent system is that the America Invents Act just passed by Congress doesn’t fix any of this. Nor does it touch the larger issue of whether or not it’s wise to allow inventors to patent business processes and software and then sue the hell out of each other in a cage match that is essentially a tax on innovation.
The major opportunity in this act, aside from the elimination of software patents, was to free the USPTO from the congressional appropriations process, whereby Congress exercises control over the agency’s budget. The USPTO doesn’t use taxpayer money–it’s funded by application fees–and yet it still has to ask Congress for permission to access those funds, giving that body an opportunity to reappropriate them for any other purpose.
Giving the USPTO self-determination over its own budget would have at least allowed it to tackle that 700,000+ backlog of patents. That provision of the bill, which originally appeared in the Senate version, was blocked by House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), who appear to have been confused about the source of the USPTO’s funds. (i.e., not taxpayer dollars.)
Surely no one expected Congressional Republicans to take the time to find out what it was they were saying “NO” to?
We can no longer count on government at any level to achieve anything that is fair, correct or logical.
It’s time for a New Constitutional Convention.
Of the people, for the people, by the people.
Corporations need not apply.
Repukes are just “Knee Jerk NO!-Sayers!!!”
But not to worry, the Corporate Lobbysts will come in and write the new “Patent Protection Act” to give Corporations UNLIMITED POWER with PROTECTION IN PERPETUITY for their “Intellectual Property” (no matter who they stole it from !!!) – Corporations NEVER DIE so LIFE PLUS 75 YEARS IS FOREVER !!! And after GREASING THE PALMS IN CONGRESS, the Repuke STOOGES will call it the “Save American Jobs” Act !!!
Pukes protect the sheeple from the Russian invasion through Germany. They can relate to that and the lobby money is good.
Sheeple don’t know or care about intellectual property theft as long as Walmart has it on sale for $1.99.
GOP dogma: The government doesn’t work.
It doesn’t work because the GOP keeps breaking it. And then crying that it doesn’t work.
My three-year old used to act that way.
“protecting America’s technological and scientific assets labors ”
Remember you don’t file a patent in the country where you invented something. you file a patent in each country you want to protect the manufacture or sale of an invention.
Since you aren’t going to manufacture it in America and the way things are going nobody in America is going to be able to afford to buy it – it’s all getting a bit academic.
As with most of the idiotic stories on here, one nutball’ summary of another persons opionon of another person’s tech summary of the original article on the original bill are in no way correlated to the original source.
Here is the final link if you follow the trail of the link in the story, along with the link they are calling the bill, which is really just a letter opposing it and way:
http://huffingtonpost.com/daniel-b-ravicher/paul-ryan-hal-rogers-patent-office_b_873874.html
http://ipwatchdog.com/blog/rogers-ryan-letter.pdf
This has nothing to do with anyone who “appear to have been confused about the source of the USPTO’s funds”. They are simply expressing that it is a bad idea to allow a government entity to collect any amount of fees they want to be spend however they want, without any oversight. Overall this bill has bipartisan support, but some people do not like the idea of letting them collect any amount of fees they want. Even the IRS cannot do that.
Way to rile up the Obamabots, though, Eidard!
By the way, you can read a much better summary of the opposition to the bill on Wikipedia and another blog I found.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_Invents_Act
http://patentbaristas.com/archives/2011/06/23/h-r-1249-the-america-invents-act-passes-in-the-house/
I know some of you on here are probably not smart enough to comprehend the details on these pages, but you should at least try. This law was written by and for large corporations with plenty of money to throw around to get quick patents. Patent fees are already very high once you pay the patent office and the lawyers. If you believe in small companies ever getting a chance to have a patent for a product they invent, overall this bill is a bad thing for them.
I guess none of the blame goes to the party that had filibuster proof control of both houses for 4 years, and control of the presidency for 2 of those years. And frankly could have done anything they wanted.
If the democrats really wanted to reform the patent process they could have done anything they damn well please, and the republicans would have been powerless to do anything but complain. They certainly had enough will to pass Obama-care in the middle of the night.
If the republicans are the party of no, then the Dems are the party of idiots.
I think we can all agree that Paul Ryan loves the American People and honors his role in protecting and serving it in the US Government.
Just like he honored his marriage to Jerri Ryan of “7 of 9” fame. You see, he understands she just wasn’t good enough to be around just like the American People and the Government. The relationship just needs to be improved a bit by being forced to go to sex parties and engage in threesomes.
Isn’t that what any sane male would do if married to Jerri Ryan? I know thats what I would do. Surly, his opinion on how the Government should act is just as well grounded if not grounded in exactly the same reasonable outlook on life and character.
Talk about screwing the pooch and the fine characters that are drawn to the Republican Party.
Surely some things should be obvious?
Bobbo, your medicine is not working. Jeri (not Jerri) Ryan was married to Jack Ryan, who ran for the US Senate seat in Illinois and withdrew after the scandal was exposed. There was a scandal alright, but it was Jack Ryan in that scandal.
I never took Bobbo for a conventional marriage supporter before.
Bob, the Dems haven’t had a filibuster-proof majority in decades. In theory they had a couple independents caucus with them to get to 60, but one of the indies was Joe Lieberman, who is buddies with Lindsey Graham, and a major flip-flopper.
Your Fox talking point doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.
Besides, unlike the Republicans, the Dems don’t take orders from the Great Leader. They aren’t forced to sign pledges of allegiance to a PAC to avoid primary challenges. They don’t get ridiculed by Rush or Roger Ailes’ crew if they vote their conscience or constituency over the party.
Jack Ryan was awesome in those Clancy novels.
Paul Ryan is married to Ayn Rand.
#9 – and stop calling me Surly.
OUCH!!!!
Thank you #10–oldman AND I apologize to everyone else and to Paul Ryan with HUGE reservations. I almost did google it just to confirm but I thought I shouldn’t be such a ninny. I was wrong. Before assassinating anyone’s character, one should have the correct facts at hand. The fact he is a Republican is close, but not accurate enough—the humor notwithstanding.
#11–surprised==Yes indeedie. I think marriage is the most important for real people that there is, the most rewarding, the most potentially harmful, the most self-defining, the most magical of mystery tours===or just a steady f**k on the side while she hopefully learns to cook. Like everything else hoomans engage in, its pretty much subject to the individuation/insights/understandings/culture/values we each bring to it. UNLIKE so much of what happens in life, marriage, the contemplation and engagement/avoidance of it, is something we all engage in. Not true for any other activity of man. Hmmm, maybe sports?
Too bad we don’t have a thread topic that would allow me to go off on about 4-5 rants I have in my pocket. Like marrying a woman for her looks, it wouldn’t be respectful.
Yea, verily.
I did have to google it to confirm, but only after I typed in my post. I live in Illinois and therefore knew it well. If it were not for the scandal, Jack Ryan would have no doubt defeated Obama and succeeded Pete Fitzgerald. C’est la vie.
Speaking of marriage and gun rights, the following is about a good samaritan ((rim shot to post a few entries down)) who stopped to help a married couple and wound up shooting the husband.
A Texas Classic.
http://mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Officials-Good-Samaritan-shot-man-he-tried-to-2173543.php
Its as relevant to this topic as my Paul Ryan rant. Ha, ha. I’m stupid.
oldman–isn’t that interesting? Its the morality of Jeri Ryan/Jack Ryan that elected Obama, allowing for the TeaParty astroturfing, and the complete financial ruin of the USA giving over middle class assets to the Super Rich.
What a cosmic web. If only Jeri Ryan had been a slut==we’d all be better off for it.
There may be a general rule there, but I fear to tread.
Again–thanks for correcting me. I hate having my facts wrong. Ideology?===no problem.
What a cosmic web. If only Jack Ryan had NOT been a freak==we’d all be better off for it.
2 points:
First post was at 8:14 A.M.
Bobbo’s first (of many) posts was at 9:09 A.M.
Therefore, we had almost an hour of thoughtful, back and forth discussion before bobbo took over the topic with his usual brand of dismissive left-wing looney liberalism.
You’re slipping fella!
2) Went to the technologyreview.com site from whence this story comes and lo and behold I see that Eideard has left a comment there! And he hates hates HATES Republicans.
I am shocked.
At one time we consider patenting our religion and suing the rest of these cocksuckers that are just taking peoples money and stirring shit up. Er, uh, not that we don’t readily accept “donations” so we can keep our clown in red shoes and a castle.
LotsaLuck, you nailed Bobbo and Eideard to a tee.
This blog is full of loonies. It’s a potpourri of crazy. (See Eideard -Sociopath, Bobbo – Baggins – inferiority complex with delusions, Dallas – even worse – for proof.)
aslightlycrankygeek, on the other hand, is completely sane and gave good commentary.
If the Dems want to help the Patent (which they don’t), they would eliminate the diversion of Patent fees (which they won’t).
Did you know 85+ MILLION dollars were taken from the patent office last year and given to the general fund? Of course those nutjobs mentioned above didn’t. They can’t think.
So Ryan is right. Don’t raise the rates to the patent office just to see the money diverted to the General Fund and not helping the Patent office at all. First stop the diversion, then go from there.
This is just another attempt at a backdoor tax. Dems love sneaky taxes.
Looney?
Well, thats a heck of a thing to say about someone exercising their First Amendment Rights.
Looney? You mean that tax cuts do create jobs? That if you don’t get health insurance you “deserve” to die if some charity won’t take you on board?
Eideard hates, hates, HATES (sic!) Republicans? ((sic because the second hate surely should be Capitalized?)) Who doesn’t?
I read/heard something last week that if 20 years ago we had adopted European type social medicine and moderated our foreign wars that we would have no deficit today. Looney?
Yea–thats the very nature of a Country about to fail: both sides viewing the other as, how did our great leader put it: “strangers from different planets?” HAW HAW!!!!!!
I hold many conservative financial positions myself, but I don’t get there by clinging to gays, guns, and god.
If you are against Soc Sec YOU ARE AN EVIL NUTCASE. If you are against modifying Soc Sec to keep it solvent, you are just shy the evil. The difference between being a Puke or a Dumbo. I’m a pragmatic, evangelical, anti-theist and know the right porridge is just in the middle.
But what more can possibly be said about our broken patent system? Funny how sheeple are led. You forgot to be against Patent Fees as a slavery tax leveled against the most productive people on our planet ((are corporations still people this week?)) so that you could rave about the “gubment” misusing the funds. “What a gross hypocrisy.” I just get tired thinking it, or posting it, so I get off track.
Oldman–yes. I had just looked at a picture of Jeri and I was thinking about her rather than her husband. Is it just impolite to tred on what is a component in all of us even to negate a negative? Always be nothing but positive and polite==or stick with the hubby?
Yes, we Americans are sexually repressed. Its why Ryan acted the way they did.
Bunga Bunga.
There are people who don’t hate the Pukes???? Thats why I come here—the education.
#21–Lotsa==eideard may hate, Hate, HATE the Pukes but you can’t tell that from what he posted on that website.
Prove me wrong:
State what taxes the Republicans are for=====not including an income tax on people currently receiving food stamps.
Go!!!!!!!!
Bobbo said
“Eideard hates, hates, HATES (sic!) Republicans? ((sic because the second hate surely should be Capitalized?)) Who doesn’t?”
That capitalized HATES was a ‘shout out’ for JimD.
We love you, JimD – keep on shouting at us!
As for who doesn’t hate the R’s, well evidently quite a few folks. You know, the ones who keep voting them into office.
Always enjoy reading your Looney opinion (i.e. one I disagree with – since obviously I am a paragon of intelligence and non-looney-ness.)
Har!
Lotsa–THATS my whole point. I’ve never met a person that voted for a Republican. Who would be relying on Soc Sec/MediCare for their retirement planning and vote for those who would get rid of it?
Who could be a christian and vote for the Party of Death? Both Perry and Bush smile when bragging about how many democrats they kill in prison.
Who could be for making a living wage and vote for the party still maintaining tax breaks for those corporations hiding their money and taking our jobs overseas?
No real live breathing thinking human being would ever do that. They don’t exist!!! Whats happened is the voting fraud the Pukes keep covering up. Every careful non Puke led voting analysis shows that only about 6 people vote Republican in these United States but they all work for Diebold.
I don’t think I have to connect those dots for you.
VOTE ALL “NO NEW TAXES” POLITICIANS OUT OF OFFICE.
Cool!
Bobbo posted his last message whilst I was composing mine! Must be kismet, dude!
Question: What ARE the Repubs for.
Well, there are a few main kinds of R’s:
1)Defense Republicans – Strong national defense/global projection
2)Fiscal Conservatives – Balanced budget – low taxes and govt. spending
3)Social Issue Conservatives – abortion/gay marriage/etc. = bad
4)Country Club Republicans – what’s good for business is good for America
5)Libertarian/Constitutional Republicans – If it was good enough for the Founders, it’s good enough for me!
The Tea partiers that you dislike so much are mostly fiscal with a dash of constitutional.
Of course, once they’ve been in Washington a few years, most of them turn into Country Club Republicans anyway…
Look forward to your belittling and your list of Democrat subgroups. I have my theories, but I don’t think they’ll match yours. 🙂
HEY!!!!—I just figured out why my optical mouse can’t highlight text so that I can copy and paste: its a bad contact issue within the mechanics of the mouse button. Here for two years I’ve been thinking it was software or cpu driven. Always the simplest things should be questions first. Kinda like your post Losta. Lets Parse:
Question: What ARE the Repubs for.
Well, there are a few main kinds of R’s:
1)Defense Republicans – Strong national defense/global projection /// YOU LIE!!! Strong national defense is based on having a strong economy which means equity in the work place. Under the Pukes, wealth stratification has reached Banana Republic levels that no civilization has survived. No, the current “defense industry” is an evil system of bribes and payback funneling money to the Super Rich and Politicians for their nefarious evil corrupt interests.
2)Fiscal Conservatives – Balanced budget – low taxes and govt. spending //// YOU LIE!!! Pukes balanced only once and that took Clinton to get them there. Whatever the tax revenue is, the Pukes will over spend to drive the governmetn regulatory agencies out of business leaving the Super Rich and Corps to run free in a laissez faire corrupt free market system.
3)Social Issue Conservatives – abortion/gay marriage/etc. = bad //// Agreed. Don’t know why they don’t support Bill of Rights Freedom and leave other people alone. I guess taking all our money isn’t enough. They can’t be happy unless even poor people are made to suffer.
4)Country Club Republicans – what’s good for business is good for America //// YOU LIE!!! Whats good for business and screw America. No reason to lobby for tax breaks to off shore US jobs or to increase the number of foreign workers high tech work visa’s and so forth. Big Business by definition is international. They care about no countries except those stupid enough to give them tax subsidies up front. Like sports teams. Ever seen anything so outrageous?
5)Libertarian/Constitutional Republicans – If it was good enough for the Founders, it’s good enough for me! /// Agreed. Slavery is right around the corner if wage slavery is too liberal for you. Big Cotton to make a comeback.
The Tea partiers that you dislike so much are mostly fiscal with a dash of constitutional. ///// YOU LIE!!!!!! Making the Teabaggers sound almost rational. They are a bunch of anti-science anti-humanitarian, short sighted, sloped forehead hypocrits. No big surprise they took over the Republican Party. HAW HAW!!!!
Of course, once they’ve been in Washington a few years, most of them turn into Country Club Republicans anyway… //// I’ve been to Country Clubs. They make good sandwiches, I gotta give them that.
Look forward to your belittling and your list of Democrat subgroups. I have my theories, but I don’t think they’ll match yours. 🙂 /// I’m not a Demonrat. Disorganized and unwilling to fight from what I can see. Can’t see the enemy even when being led by the nose.
No bright spot for America. We are either going to lose very fast under Teabag short sightedness or only a little bit slower under the namby pamby failure to reregulate the Banks and outlaw Wallstreet Dumbos.
We are past the Event Horizon for what made America Great——-which was no competition in the World Marketplace. Societies decline when they are no longer willing to sodomize their neighbors.
Same as it has always been.
Hmmmm, let’s try for some kumbaya agreement on DU. Is there anyone here who would NOT want to be a TSA agent giving Jeri Ryan a thorough pat down?
😉