Washington, D.C. - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released “Property Rights in the 21^st Century: Don’t Steal This Paper or My Ideas.” 

“The importance of protecting personal and intellectual property rights cannot be overemphasized.  From the expansion of eminent domain to the free software movement, the right to retain possession of and benefit financially from both forms of property is being threatened at home and around the world,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz.  “This publication is part of the effort to provide increased knowledge of the significance of property rights so that enough individuals will take the steps necessary to prevent the arbitrary taking of such rights by the government.”

Authors include Scott LaGanga of the Property Rights Alliance (PRA) and Solveig Singleton of the Progress and Freedom Foundation.  The paper examines the impact of government policies in the U.S. and around the world on taxpayers and consumers, as individuals and industry look to protect their personal and intellectual property.

Mr. LaGanga explores basic principles of property rights, including intellectual property rights, as well as the impact of U.S. policy on other nations.  He also discusses the International Property Rights Index (IPRI), a groundbreaking measure of property rights around the world.

Ms. Singleton brings the intellectual property debate back home and describes the strengths and weaknesses of the Patent and Trademark Office (PTO).  She also discusses five intellectual property myths and realities, four underlying problems with the PTO, and three options to help the PTO be more responsive.

David Williams, CAGW Vice President of Policy, examines the differences in the way the U.S. and Europe approach competition and technological innovation.  He also discusses Europe’s disregard for intellectual property, antitrust laws, and court decisions in the U.S.

The report is available at www.cagw.org.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.