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Because we don't want Disney to be able to keep Mickey Mouse forever, and because the Constitution mandates that copyrights be for a "limited time", so an indef
by cookiecaper 11y ago
Because we don't want Disney to be able to keep Mickey Mouse forever, and because the Constitution mandates that copyrights be for a "limited time", so an indefinite renewal scheme would require a Constitutional amendment.
- imtringued 11y agoLet them have their toy if that means they won't destroy ours.
- MichaelBurge 11y agoAddendum: Copyright extensions have a maximum term of 10 trillion years. Now their time is limited. I bet Disney would be happy with this compromise.
- cookiecaper 11y agoThe late Jack Valenti, former head of the MPAA, actually suggested that copyright terms last for "forever minus one day". Lawrence Lessig argued a case before the Supreme Court (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldred_v._Ashcroft https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldred_v._Ashcroft) trying to get the Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act overturned, but lost 7 to 2.