Comment Text:
I am Lew Douglas, a former HS math teacher and now a math coach. I work for The Lawrence Hall of Science, which is associated with UC Berkeley. I have been trying to decrease my environmental footprint for a number of years, with some success. But I am concerned that the initially productive role of commodity markets in stabilizing prices for family farmers has been large subverted by special interests concerned mostly with making easy money.
I urge you to curb excessive gambling in commodities markets like food and oil.
While many factors contribute to today’s highly volatile commodity prices, it is clear that excessive speculation is partially responsible, as shown in dozens of studies by respected institutions such as Princeton, MIT, Petersen Institute, University of London, Yale, the United Nations and the U.S. Senate.
Speculation thus imposes financial hardships on families around the country. Sudden rises in gas and food prices force us to make difficult decisions and sacrifices. Especially right now, with so many families struggling, and unemployment barely beginning to decrease, we cannot allow speculators to unduly affect our food and gas prices.
Please put in place effective position limits rules, and do not allow them to be undermined by exemptions or exceptions, or allow Wall Street gamblers to escape them.
Thank you for your consideration.
