If there is no cap on the exponential portion eventually Mickey will be too expensive to protect and he will be free. The result would be the Government captur

If there is no cap on the exponential portion eventually Mickey will be too expensive to protect and he will be free. The result would be the Government capturing all the value in later years and then the work would be freed allowing the public to capture the value. I think the OP's suggestion is the best I have heard so far. It could be a simple formula like a fee starting at $10/year for each copywrited work after 14 years, then it doubles ever year. By the 24th year you would be looking at paying just over $5,000, but by the 44th year Disney would be paying $5Bn/year. Probably not worth keeping the rights on Mickey for $5Bn/year.