Luis-

I found the best way to attack ‘the problem’ is to act at the local level first. Your local mayor, elected representatives and others need to hear your voice first. I also found that getting alot of others involved is key, as you are aware. The biggest issue with drawing attention to your cause is that the very same people we elected do not like a ‘negative public opinion’ of them. Take the Wall Street campouts and rallies that are occuring all over the country. Our own politicians and mayor just voted an emergency act to stop these people from excercising thier constitutional rights to free speech and assembly. When the very same politicians you are trying to reason with violate the constitution to achieve thier own agendas, we are really in serious trouble. So- Myself and others are starting online and offline rallies and discussions to let the public know that we don’t like policians or business as usual… esp when they violate our rights. Will we get in trouble? Probably. Will we go quietly into the night? NO!

Let’s do something. At least let’s say something.

Cool, Mike. I should have given this thread a much more appealing ((Yawnnnnn)) title. Who cares about ‘congress’? There is already a total apathy about the issue… To the benefit of whomever profits from the funds diversion.

Do you want Inventor Related Stories? Well you’ve got plenty of material here!

Thanks for doing your part to raise awareness, Luis, which is a necessary precursor to change. For a ball to get rolling, somebody has got to first push it. Fair dinkum.

Thanks for getting involved, Mike. We certainly need more involvement. And moreover, we need more voices.

It is not about passing bills. It is not about new laws. It is about stop breaking the existing laws. About stop violating the constitution of the United STates.

FROM ARTICLE 1, SECTION 8 OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:

The Congress Shall have power
((SNIP))
8. To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

END OF QUOTE.

They do the opposite. They take the money we pay to have our patent applications and other IP applications duly and timely processed and they then use it for other purposes.

This is ridiculous.

I did some research about that other Federal Agency, the USPS. AnD guess what? jUST like the USPTO they are self funded, yet they are in financial trouble. They do not suffer from funds diversion, and are in deep trouble. As I read somewhere they are at the verge of the equivalent to ‘government bankruptcy’

So… Inspired by the so creativre auto industry, they are asking congress for a ‘bail-out’

So this tragedy is further going to affect us, because if and when that ‘bail-out’ money is granted, there is going to be much less of a reason to stop the unlawful diversion of funds.

This tragedy is compounded by our silence. We all are passive accomplices of this travesti. Nobody says anything.

This man

http://www.postalnewsblog.com/2011/09/14/how-th...

makes a compelling case for the USPS. Please, ignore his partisan editorializing. My position here is unpartisan and apolitical. Please let us respect the forums and this cause by keeping it that way.

No politics, please.

As for your DMV analogy… We Should be that lucky!!!

Even in their worst performing days, things did get done at the DMV. And thgey got done in a timely, even speedy fashion. The money you paid was not used to finance wildlife protection ((A very nice cause, but the money to get your license should go to cover the cost of getting your license and nothing else))

And in comparing the DMV with Congress, well… things get even more dramatic. People do show up for work at the DMV. If they don’t show up, they don’t get paid, and likely will get fired for that reason. Congress members get paid between a quarter million to a half a million in salary per year yet the over all attendance is about 50% of all sessions.

I want to emphasize that there are (I am sure there are) honorable, responsible and diligent Congressmen and Congresswomen, so they are of coursae exonerated of any blame. But the body as a whole leaves too much to be desired.

They unduly take our money and as a result,

they obstruct the Progress of Science and useful Arts

Thanks again, Mike.

In my layman’s mind, the USPTO actually reminds me more of the Department of Motor Vehicles, in that they march to their own drum beat, and they do so out of sight. The DVM was historically inefficient and slow – hell, they even refused to answer the phone – but they eventually streamlined and improved their operation with the modern times. If Congress has to want to fix the PTO, it might take some time, with so many layers of red tape, and it will likely only happen if they are forced to make it happen, but I’d say it’s POSSible. But, being electorally driven, I wouldn’t hold my breath.