Patents and copyright both ENCOURAGE creativity and invention - but only if they lapse within some reasonable length of time. We have a case here where virtually nothing will be entering the public domain for about 20 years -

You don't see patents going out that will last 100+ years. I think artists have a right to profit from their works - but I DO NOT think that they (their estate and or heirs) should enjoy the EXCLUSIVE right to profit from it for up to 75 years after their death! Say someone rights a song at the age of 20 - they could very easily live to be over 100, but lets say they live to 100, then their estate controls the copyright for another 75 years (assuming no extensions in the ensueing time) - that song will be under copyright for 105 years!!!!!