Quote from Martinghoul:
I'm all confused...
Aren't we all traders here? As traders, aren't we supposed to love free unfettered mkts which are the true engines of capitalism? Aren't we constantly clamoring for less govt intervention and regulation in mkts? Or does the above apply to everything but foodstuffs? Moreover, who's gonna define a given mkt participant as a "speculator" and how?
I've heard this rhetoric for years now. In theory, yes indeed, as traders we should fight for free, unfettered markets, but the reality is far different. Instead, we have a financial system essentially predicated on moral hazard, implied government bailouts and other such de-facto stop gap measures that render the concept of free markets a fantasy.