The Barack Obama Administration was seriously anti-American. I do not say this lightly.
Evidence is coming to light all over the world that the Administration routinely, actively worked against American interests – seemingly everywhere any American was interested.
We last week chronicled how Todd Robinson – the Administration’s Ambassador to Guatemala – worked with Guatemalan environmentalist radical groups to coach them to sue an American company that had invested $1 billion in a Guatemalan silver mine.
The Administration’s Ambassador then pressured the Guatemalan government to appoint radical Left judges – who then presided over the cases the Administration’s Ambassador had coached the local environmental radical groups to file.
Not exactly an America First approach, is it?
Some of the Administration’s anti-American foreign work – began at home. And in our next particular instance – very late in the Administration game:
“FTC Charges Qualcomm With Monopolizing Key Semiconductor Device Used in Cell Phones
“The above headline-link is from the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website – on January 17, 2017. Get that date? That’s three days before the Obama Administration was sworn out – and the Trump Administration was sworn in….
“The FTC is suing Qualcomm under anti-monopoly antitrust law – for holding patents. Wait a second. Patents are issued by the government – so as to protect the inventions of inventors….
“So the government’s (United States Patent and Trademark Office) USPTO did its Constitutional duty – and issued ‘inventor’ Qualcomm an ‘exclusive Right’ to its ‘Discoveries.’
“And then the government’s FTC sued ‘inventor’ Qualcomm under anti-monopoly law – for having an ‘exclusive Right’ to its ‘Discoveries.’”
And as many of us know, much of the rest of the world views the United States – the way much of the rest of a high school views the football team’s starting quarterback. He’s tall, good-looking, athletic and dating the head cheerleader. None of which much of the rest of high school is or is doing.
If given the opportunity – much of the rest of the world will take a shot at the QB – and the US. In the latter case – for both vindictive and economic reasons.
The Obama Administration’s anti-Intellectual Property FTC lawsuit – served as a most unfortunate blueprint for governments all around the globe.
They get to take a shot at an American company – and fine the living daylight out of them. All of which allows them to luxuriously line their pockets – and crony benefit their respective local Qualcomm competitors.
China took its shot – to the tune of $975 million. South Korea too – for an additional $843 million. Next up was Taiwan – for $773 million more.
That is more than $2 billion in fines – for having patents. Which the US government is Constitutionally mandated to issue and protect.
And until the Obama Administration’s ridiculous lawsuit – our patents were, for the most part, respected and protected globally.
But as envious of us as the world is – they also emulate us (also like the QB). And the previous Administration was setting a raft of horrendous precedents.
The US government is Constitutionally obligated to protect the IP products it issues. The last Administration actively attacked them.
And now country after country around the planet is following suit. Oh – and in just about every instance – cheating their own legal systems in order to be able to rule against Qualcomm.
China, South Korea and Taiwan all clearly violated their own rules and procedures for these hearings – to reach their desired anti-US, anti-US-IP outcome.
After the Taiwan assault, that warped reality was finally acknowledged:
“Qualcomm Inc chief executive Steven Mollenkopf on Monday was the butt of several jokes during a discussion forum to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
“However, those enjoying sticking the boot in would do well to reflect upon the fairness of the NT $23.4 billion (US $773 million) fine the Fair Trade Commission handed the US chipmaker earlier this month….
“The commission’s investigation into Qualcomm, presided over by Fair Trade Commission Chairwoman Huang Mei-ying, has been denounced for containing several flaws, which has damaged the reputation of the antitrust body.
“First, prior to the investigation, the South Korean Fair Trade Commission had also conducted a probe of Qualcomm and issued its verdict last year. During the course of the investigation, the antitrust body held seven legislative hearings.
“If the local commission had held similar legislative hearings during its investigation, it would have allowed other government agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, to present their views on the case and the commission would not have made such a fool of itself following its announcement of the ruling on Oct. 11.
“Since the commission did not hold any legislative hearings, it should not have also omitted to hold either public hearings or discussion forums….
“The committee set up by the commission to investigate Qualcomm, which consisted of seven members, did not adhere to normal committee conventions.
“Normally, when two or more committee members hold differing opinions to the other members, the committee delays coming to a decision. In the Qualcomm case, three committee members were in disagreement with the decision.
“With only four members in favor of issuing a fine to the company, the committee was split almost down the middle. Despite this, Huang forced through the ruling without consideration of the consequences.”
“Without consideration for the consequences” indeed.
All of this is absolutely terrible news for our economy. And the future of invention – here and everywhere else.
If any and everyone can steal a farmer’s crops after a farmer has grown them – no farmer will grow them, and we all go hungry.
If any and everyone can steal an inventor’s crops after he’s invented them – no inventor will grow them, and we all go hungry.
Country after country is undermining the legal integrity of Intellectual Property. Sadly, all starting with the Obama US.
If IP isn’t protected, investors will give up doing all the very expensive work required to create IP.
The Taipei Times’ Tzou Jiing-wen gets it. And now-President Trump has gotten it – all along the way.
Trump said so repeatedly on the campaign trail – and has begun acting upon it since taking office.
Trump needs to widely broaden these actions. IP theft is happening rampantly – everywhere.
And it will only continue to get worse – unless and until Trump stops it.
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