Sen. Chris Coons and the Cult of Patent Monopolies

Senator Coons holding a press conference – Public Domain

Last week, Delaware Senator Chris Coons, the chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, made an assertion about the nature of patents that is flat out wrong. Senator Coons said:

“OUR FOUNDING FATHERS MADE IT CLEAR THAT INVENTORS SHOULD HAVE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO THEIR INVENTIONS. IN OTHER WORDS, THE CONSTITUTION IN ITS SCRIPT GUARANTEES TO INVENTORS THE ABILITY TO PREVENT OTHERS FROM USING OR SELLING THEIR INVENTIONS...