Current Patent Standards Are Out of Control
This is not an argument against patents and copyright in the slightest. Most of the Founders thought they were beneficial—so beneficial, in fact, that they were included in the Constitution despite the known risk of their abuse. In certain situations, patents are certainly the most logical and fair solution to promote innovation and protect the rights of inventors.
However, patents today are filed more than ever. These patent filers rarely demonstrate the original innovation that should merit exclusive patent rights. Up from the 268 patents granted in the first 10 years of our country’s independence, there were 324,000 patents granted in 2014. This trend shows no signs of flagging. The inundation of patent requests cuts off entire industries from competition. It also bogs down patent offices, leaving inventors in limbo for an average of 3-5 years as their patents are processed.