I hope it never happens. There are certain Americanisms that have infected other countries patent systems over the years (e.g. software patents) that have done

I hope it never happens. There are certain Americanisms that have infected other countries patent systems over the years (e.g. software patents) that have done far, far more harm than good AFAICT, especially to the smaller countries that have been strong-armed into efficiently hamstringing their own nascent technology ventures. The appearance that patent law in America is only about leverage against all your competitors with patent lawsuits rather than protecting truly original discoveries (especially those of smaller companies who can't adequately defend themselves against the super-corp's) is an utter travesty. It puts me in mind of the same erosion that allowed us to become part of a worldwide debt economy (i.e. hardly enough real resources to back the debt).