It was all over but the shouting when the income tax amendment and central bank were instituted in 1913.

Absolutely! Plus a point and wish I could add more. Well said, Friend.

I've spent a few minutes thinking about the groups that "fit" this description. I can only cite groups that find themselves involved with one party. That is, I think, the greatest danger, that all these have united their political clout under one banner while the rest of us are scattered, splitting our votes among several small groups.

Tea Party, libertarians, religious right (although this is another group that's pretty broken up), and more split their voting power between candidates, each saying they can't vote for "X" if they are not a ideologically pure reflection of the voter, electing to make a "protest vote" by either not voting or voting for some third line character that has no chance of winning anyway.

In the mean while, any kook, oddball, sexual pervert, communist, socialist, LBTH-XYZ all seem to be able to join together to win elections. There is never all "third wing" candidate on the ballot that a left winger will be willing to split off and vote for, with the exception of a few Eco-Nazis in the green party (who have such a small number that they don't, won't effect the outcome.

And here is the place where we could focus our efforts, promote a third "libtard wing" candidate, who would not have a chance of winning, but who will suck votes away from their main candidates.

+1 point given. As a programmer I worked for a large company. I wrote programs that saved the company millions. I was paid a salary. I do not own any of those programs. Unless there is a written contract to the contrary, that is the way it should be.
I also wrote a another program in my own house on my own computer during my own time. I own that program. That is the way it should be.

exactly

Crap is fertilizer, and promotes growth.
We need to distribute this crap evenly, so that we can all be waist deep in crapitalism. I can smell the roses already.

lol point for "crapitalism" It has been a very bad day for the patent system. just reeling and re-grouping. Kinda crazy when the country who listed as the only right in the original Constitution was the right to your ideas voted against that today. I guess, bring me your mechanical inventions. we're back at the 19th century...

the big companies have only been able to do this through the very "reforms" you would seek. There are many incorrect statements in your comment. Our clients have real inventions that deserve protection. It is the only way to advance technology in the world and has been objectively proven. Trade secrets do not advance technology, in fact, technology dies out with the secret holders. a fine example of this is Venice glass makers. The trade secrets were tightly held, but when the city state adopted a pre-cursor to a modern patent system, the city state thrived and the Renaissance took off due to wealth creation.
To your last statement, all inventions are published 18 months into the application process. You have a year from first public disclosure to apply for a patent.
"...no matter if the idea duplicates many others on file" that is called prior-art and the inventor, under perjury of law, must disclose any prior inventions that are the same or similar. There is quite a sophisticated system for looking for prior art. It is the point of the application process-which takes years btw to get a patent where all prior art is argued. Dr, I am concerned you have formulated opinions on the patent system with common misconceptions.