The enforcement of copyright laws is something that is paid for with public funds and resources (indeed, the courts themselves) even though a small fraction of

The enforcement of copyright laws is something that is paid for with public funds and resources (indeed, the courts themselves) even though a small fraction of the population recieves any direct benefit. The burden of proof should be on copyright holders to explain why the state furthers the public good by requiring the courts (and police, customs, etc.) to enforce these laws. Legally in the United States, the power to establish copyright is in the constitution: "To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries." This makes indefinite copyright unconstitutional.