Eliminate Software Patents: The White House Responds

My post of September 27 explained how the White House's We The People website elicited an interesting petition, presently supported by about 15,000 signatures, to eliminate the issuance of software patents. The White House  responded to this petition, and explains its position on software patents. The White House argues that the recently enacted American Invents Act (AIA), and the resulting patent reforms, will reduce the number of overly broad business method patents that may improperly reach into unpatentable areas. The White House further points out that the PTO's renewed emphasis on quality patent review will assist in this effort. Read the entire response provided by the White House and provide your comments as to whether the AIA will reduce the prior level of perceived abuse in the issuance of overly broad method patents.