Comment Text:
The practice of betting on political events via tradable contracts should remain legal within the United States. Not only would it be absurd for citizens of other countries to be able to speculate on the outcomes of our political events, but the markets created by the trading activity are invaluable sources of information for American voters, are instrumental in encouraging constructive political discourse, and stimulate continued growth and development in alternative investment markets. Additionally, allowing individual investors to trade the contracts is symbolic of American economic freedom. It is challenging to imagine that the effort to prohibit the trading of the contract isn’t politically motivated when sports betting, gambling, and countless other activities that are guaranteed to result in financial losses remain legal. Prohibiting the trading of these contracts would be an uneducated, ignorant mistake, not anchored by a sound argument for protecting individual investors, that is an insult to American culture and beliefs, and stifles growth in innovative financial markets.