To: Dominic Harr
The so-called 'Intellectual Property' laws are a govt-mandated monopoly. Just like the phone infrastructure.
True, but unlike other government-sponsored monopolies (such as the RBOCs), intellectual property must be earned and created through hard work and sweat. The monopoly on the telephone system was given away in smoke-filled back rooms and with political maneuvering. There is no creative requirement in order to get the government to award you exclusive ownership of a particular resource (mining, forests, phones, etc). It is that distinction that makes the difference between the two.
Secondly, government-sponsored monopolies such as RBOCs are not created by the Constitution. They're created by government run amok. Intellectual property ownership, on the other hand, is specifically named in the Constitution as a fundamental right of inventors.
42 posted on
01/08/2003 8:52:50 AM PST by
Bush2000
To: Bush2000
Secondly, government-sponsored monopolies such as RBOCs are not created by the Constitution. 'Intellectual Property' laws' are the same -- nowhere in the constitution does it say ideas are 'property', only that the creators have a right to profit off the idea for a limited period of time (7 years, at the time).
The laws that were created by an out-of-control govt, bought and paid for by companies like Disney and MS, created MS's current monopoly.
Yet you like the MS govt-backed monopoly, and not the phone company's.
Because you don't get paid by the phone company.
To: Bush2000
'True, but unlike other government-sponsored monopolies (such as the RBOCs), intellectual property must be earned and created through hard work and sweat. '
The gov't didn't buy Bell it's copper. They did tax it though.
51 posted on
01/08/2003 5:53:06 PM PST by
Bogey78O
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