Subject: File No. S7-08-09
From: William W Strawther

May 5, 2009

To the SEC:

I encourage you to reinstall the short sale rule. I believe time will show that the biggest transfer of wealth,from the middle class to the super rich, occured when the short sale rule was not in place. I served on the board of Governors of the NASD(1978-81) and was chairman and CEO of Continental American Securities from 1970-1982.

William W Strawther Jr