> That's what is has turned into, but it was never the point. The point was to promote the creation of new creative works.

I wonder - if copyright expiration had been enshrined in something harder to extend like a US Constitution amendment, would we be better off? Or would the powerful media/entertainment forces try to convince the electorate that early expirations were problematic? Would we have a flourishing public domain or would HUAC have flipped on its head - looking instead for the enemies of the entertainment industry? Commies who don't want Mickey Mouse to make money.