Quote:
Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward
By the same concept, a mortgage is a property, as well. So you believe that the government should be able to extend the terms of a mortgage, to suit the needs of the mortgage owner?
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Yes, a mortgage is definitely a property; they are bought and sold quite regularly. However the government didn't set the length of my mortgage, the bank and I agreed via contract, and provisions existed to change or otherwise renegotiate the length. The government did set the length of my copyright and I know they could change it without reference to me* (although I don't expect they will do so to in the immediate future) and I will arrange my situation accordingly.
* Yes, in theory my representative casts a vote on my behalf, but in reality my representative has no idea I exist.
It's all very well to get upset about property values changing outside your control, but then copyright is hardly the only example of this (eg: all those people that lost out in the housing market crash). I don't think any of us seriously expect the government will suddenly make copyright worthless. I suspect only a very few of us seriously expect government might make copyright perpetual. That copyright might extend beyond its current most common base of life+70 is feasible, but I think it is highly unlikely in most places, although I'm not placing bets on U.S.A., especially not at the moment.