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July 13, 2007

Apocalypse Now

In today's Washington Times, Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher fires both barrels:

[T]here are powerful forces, especially in the electronics industry, that would dramatically change, if not destroy, the patent system that has served us so well for over 200 years. [Proposed in the legislation is] a new review process, allowing for challenges to patents that have already been granted. The leverage this would give to large companies with an array of lawyers is evident. Small inventors will be harassed and bogged down until they eventually surrender to deep-pocketed opponents.

[T]he legislation being foisted upon us... has nothing to do with fixing the system. It has everything to do with weakening the rights of the small inventor, using problems at the Patent Office as a screen to mask this power play.

Why is this happening? The electronics industry does not want to pay royalties. That's really the bottom line.

Posted by Patent Hawk at July 13, 2007 7:25 PM | The Patent System