Copyright Terms are Too Long

Mary-Beth Peters, the Register of Copyrights, admits on tape that,

We've certainly lengthened the term [of copyright] perhaps -- I won't even say perhaps -- too long a term. I think it is too long. I think that was probably a big mistake, but one that Congress can make.

Indeed. Even the Copyright Office can't explain how extending copyright terms past the death of the author and retroactively lengthening copyright terms for works that were already created in the past helped "promote the useful arts and sciences."