So Sick Of This Whole Thing
Dear So:
As a nonprofit (at least, not intentionally so…) the “Doc” is prohibited from endorsing any particular candidate for office. However, as a public service, the Doc has run a search using Google to ferret out the relevant policy statements on the candidates’ websites, here presented for your perusal, consideration, and enjoyment. The search string the “Doc” used is, “patent OR trademark OR copyright OR intellectual OR property” and each campaign website was reviewed for these terms.
In alphabetical order, here are the relevant results:
Hillary Clinton:
“Improve the Patent System to Reward Innovators: Hillary will enact targeted reforms to the patent system to reduce excessive patent litigation and strengthen the capacity of the Patent and Trademark Office, so that we continue to reward innovators.
Effective Copyright Policy: The federal government should modernize the copyright system through reforms that facilitate access to out-of-print and orphan works, while protecting the innovation incentives in the system. It should also promote open-licensing arrangements for copyrighted material supported by federal grant funding.” Click here.
Gary Johnson:
“The purpose of government regulation is to protect citizens from bad actors and the harm they might do to health, safety, and property.” Click here.
The “Doc” has seen television interviews where Governor Johnson advocated immediate and complete elimination of the Department of Commerce (which operates the Patent and Trademark Office), and when asked what that department does, Johnson could not name any of its functions.
Jill Stein:
Search returned no results.
Donald Trump:
“Use every lawful presidential power to remedy trade disputes if China does not stop its illegal activities, including its theft of American trade secrets…” Click here.
So there you have it. The “Doc” plans to vote early, keep it civil, hopes that his candidate of choice prevails, and that the others concede graciously in the interest of our nation and its traditions of democracy. Above all, the “Doc” knows that our long national nightmare will soon be at an end, and we will then be able to get back to our obsession with the Kardashians…oh, wait…never mind.
Have some intellectual property that needs protecting? Need some advice about using someone else’s IP? The lawyers at LW&H are strangely interested in such things, and they’re good at it, too. Give them a shout.
Until after the election…
The “Doc”