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Watch the video in her post associated with this for better context. Her pause on this does not seem to be a bad thing.
Yeah actually it seems that SawStop is being very disingenuous with this where they're trying to lobby for this "safety" bill to be passed that makes it so only they can sell table saws. If they really cared about safety, they should make the patent free for all to use like the 3 point seatbelt
According to the CPSC and Sawstop, the sawstop patent is going to become public when the new regulation passes.
https://www.cpsc.gov/About-CPSC/Commissioner/Richard-Trumka/Statement/SawStop-Dedicates-Its-Patent-for-Public-Use-Boosting-CPSC-Rule-to-End-Table-Saw-Amputations
https://www.sawstop.com/news/sawstop-to-dedicate-key-u-s-patent-to-the-public-upon-the-effective-date-of-a-rule-requiring-safety-technology-on-all-table-saws/Permanently Deleted
I'm pretty sure the owners of sawstop agreed to release the patent if this regulation passes. The issue is the actual components involved increase the cost of a saw, completely eliminating cheap options.
I for one totally believe the for profit patent holder!
Idk I'm a bit conflicted. I do think protecting fingers is good even if it promotes a monopoly. The Government can always fight them later, if it wants to.
Not sure if it's an appropriate comparison but look at vaccines, I would rather have patented vaccines that are atleast available over no vaccines. Obvi, I would prefer to have it all be publicly owned.
I don't have a horse in the race, but my take is that they should just bust the monopoly ASAP but pass the regulations right now. SawStop doesn't get away with it, and consumers don't lose their fingers. Win-win. In an ideal world, table saw manufacturers would be nationalized and the cost of the safety mechanism would be subsidized by sales of other woodworking equipment to address the issue this congresswoman brought up, that tradespeople are just gonna use circ saws and other unsafe tools instead of table saws should the bill pass.