If anybody is interested, the magazine "Scientific American" has an article in the June 2004 issue that mentions a book coming out this fall outlining the nature of the patent system and the ramifications legislative acts concerning it. It's called "Innovation and its Discontents: How our Broken Patent System is Endangering Innovation and What to Do About it". Granted it's a one page article but it looks like there will be more to come on this topic and it could be an interesting glimpse into what those who are interested in IP law might be facing in the future.
Incedentally (did I spell that right?), the authors are both economists.