..end troll headline..
I propose that IP (ideally both patent and copyright) be taxed. Now as a good republican, this feels revolting, but I think it might help. Owners of IP would state the value of their IP. In order to keep the size of government from swelling like a festering bug bite from all the audits, people should be able to purchase the IP at face value into the public domain. This will keep the owners honest while giving potential non-owner innovators a known cost forward. (wheeda turns on lawyer shield. Shields at maximum!) The original owner will be fully compensated for their contribution to society, or even make a hefty profit depending on their stated value, while the rest of the community is able to further leverage the idea. I believe this approach will make being a patent troll very expensive, while busting up the tie that bind innovation.
Further more, in this climate, passing a new tax should be relatively simple. Not simple, just relatively simple.