Copyright: The Biggest Government Giveaway of All (featuring Bill Gates)
March 7th, 2020 Barry Posted in Economic cartoons | No Comments »
This cartoon was inspired by this Dean Baker essay.
If you like these cartoons, help me make more by supporting my Patreon! A $1 or $2 pledge really matters.
TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON
This cartoon has five panels, plus a small “kicker” panel under the cartoon. All of the panels show the same setting: a sidewalk next to a grassy field with a couple of scattered trees.
PANEL 1
A balding man is talking on his cell phone, ranting to a friend or perhaps calling in to talk radio. He’s wearing a short sleeved shirt with a “!” on front. Behind him, Bill Gates is walking up to him with a friendly expression, raising a forefinger in a “making a point” gesture.
MAN: I say, Bill Gates earned every dollar of his $108 billion! The government had nothing to do with it!
BILL GATES: Actually, that’s not true.
PANEL 2
The man, turning around, jumps with surprise.
MAN: Gasp! Bill Gates!
GATES: I owe my fortune to the biggest government giveaway of all… Copyright law!
PANEL 3
A close-up of Gates, smiling and explaining.
GATES: People talk about copyright for “lifetime plus seventy years” as if it’s a law of nature. It’ snot! It’s a law that big corps like Disney lobbied for!
PANEL 4
A longer shot of Gates, spreading his hands as he talks.
GATES: If copyright only lasted five years, I might have to get by on “only” $25 million, and consumers would save a ton of money!
GATES: Plus, less monopoly would probably mean better products.
PANEL 5
Gates walks away, looking upward and holding one hand out towards the sky in a “I am a visionary” sort of gesture. Behind him, the balm man is happily cheering.
GATES: Now, if you’ll excuse me, somewhere out there is a small company with a great product. I’ll buy them out and make sure no one sees that great product for seventy years!
GATES: Just another way consumers get screwed by… Copyright law!
MAN: Hooray! Thank you Bill Gates!
SMALL KICKER PANEL UNDER THE BOTTOM OF THE STRIP
Barry the cartoonist, looking mildly surprised, is talking to the bald man, who is smiling.
BARRY: Why are you cheering? Aren’t you against government interference with free markets?
MAN: Mainly I just worship rich people.
