Right now copyright lasts for 70 years plus the life of the owner. Any thing can be copyrighted, leading to endless welfare for lawyers like the lawsuit over one click or two clicks to place an item in your digital shopping basket.
We ought to go back to a 17 year limit on terms of copyright. All the real money is made by the time 17 years is up. The author ought to get off his couch and write something new after 17 years of royalties.
US Constitution Article I Section 8 clause 8 reads "To promote the Progress of Science and the useful Arts by securing for limited times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." Note to the reader. This clause does not authorize copyright of "business methods" (that one-click two-click foolishness) nor mathematics, nor software, nor music. The exclusive rights are granted only to "Authors and Inventors", real individuals, not corporations, not patent trolls.
And copyright should only last while the book is in print. Once out of print, it should be legal to Xerox copies as needed.
And makers of toys and models should be immune from predatory lawyers owned and operated by the real life businesses. GM should not be able to shake small makers down just cause they are making Hot Wheels toys or plastic models of GM cars. Railroads should not be able to shake down model train makers for painting rolling stock in proto type paint schemes.
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