Many notable characters, songs, and movies that were previously set to enter into the public domain have not as of yet due to repeated extensions of...

Many notable characters, songs, and movies that were previously set to enter into the public domain have not as of yet due to repeated extensions of the copyright laws that have extended protections. Many of the Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy, among others that were created in the early part of the 20th century, would have long since entered into the public domain if not for subsequent changes in the law. Other works, such as A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and Hemingway's Three Stories and Ten Poems would also be public domain items and available to the world at nominal or no cost, yet are not due to changes in the law. Is this fair? How long after the death of an author should copyright protections continue to exist before works become part of the public domain and freely accessible to all?