Comment Text:
Chairman Gensler, As a concerned consumer I urge you to institute tougher controls on oil specualters that is driving the cost of gasoline to artificially high levels. The unbridled rise in the price of a gallon of gas to consumers is putting a terrible burden on so many people still reeling from the recession. Even those of us who are employed and getting modest pay raises this year are affected deeply. My merit raise this year is 3%, same as last year and the two years before that I received no raise as my company struggled with the economic downturn. But gasoline prices have more than doubled in the past two years, impacting my ability to budget such an increase into my household budget. I work in the steel industry and make a decent wage. The burden is great for me and I fear for those who are trying to struggle through on an hourly pay rate far less than mine. We see the impact not only in personal budgets as we see reports of people who must choose between gas to get to work and necessry medications to remain healthy, but in the increase crime; robberies on the increase. And all because there are greedy individual buying and selling oil futures without ever needing or using a gallon of the oils they trade. I understand the goal is to profit from investments, but without regard to the communities and families you are burdening to make unlimited profit? It's obscene. Please, I urge you, do what you can to rein in the feeding frenzy that is benefitting the few to the detriment of many.
Thank you.
