Mar. 19, 2023
I'm writing to the Commission to express my support for File No. S7-31-22; Release No. 34-96495: Order Competition Rule. As a retail stock investor this rule supports a more fair market in which everyone, down to individual citizens may realize investment gains. The "auction"-structure proposed introduces competition, as opposed to concentrating order execution into a very select "pool" of market makers who can currently manipulate the bid/ask of securities to a price-point of their choosing, to the detriment of individual investors and pension funds alike. The United States has a historical mandate to act in favor of the greatest good, not the powerful few. For generations now the financial sector has seen an unprecedented rollback of protection for the middle-class in favor of deregulation. As a result, we now have an equities market wherein hedgefunds and market makers get to determine the value of a company's stock instead of its shareholders. Many companies who are job-creators for countless numbers of Americans have been driven into bankruptcy as a result. This proposed order competition rule is a step towards restoring more balanced equities markets and ensuring an environment in which competition may thrive. I would strongly encourage the commission to enact this rule immediately. Lastly, I would like to extend my gratitude to the Commission for consideration of my opinion on this proposal. Sincerely, Tim Anderson Charlotte, NC