November 23, 2010
I want to vent my extreme frustration with these rules. First of all, I don't see how day trading is risky unless you're in leveraged positions that can lose more than your initial investment. If one is in a normal "long" position there is no risk beyond the money one already has in one's account. In fact, it's RISKIER for the investor not to allow someone to sell a security purchased on the same day. One may be forced to hold on to a security that is rapidly losing value without any recourse to sell.
It's bad enough that the government feels it has to save people from themselves, but it's much worse when the regulation actually makes it so that an investor may very well be harmed much more by the rule than the lack of one.
Furthermore, the 90-day restriction is overbearing and unnecessary. For one, a person can just transfer their assets to a new account. This rule only hurts whichever brokerage is forced to enact the restriction. Furthermore, one should be able to demonstrate that they are no longer making more day trades than allowed so they can resume trading as normal.
I am an adult and I can decide what trades to make for myself. If I lose my entire investment, then so be it. It's my money and I should be able to do what I want with it.
Even with considerations of liberty not withstanding, this regulation hurts more than helps. I hope that someone pushes to repeal it, and if there's anything I can do to support that, please let me know.
Trevor M. Stratton