SEC Boss Gary Gensler Greedy for $2.436 Billion

we all know Gary Gensler, the SEC boss who is always hard at work trying to protect investors from shady practices and market manipulation.

Well, it looks like the US Securities and Exchange Commission is about to get a whole lot bigger because Gary Gensler is gunning for a record-setting budget of $2.436 billion for fiscal year 2022.

That’s right, Gensler is asking Congress for the biggest budget ever requested by the SEC and it would boost the agency’s budget by 32% over the current level.

Gensler is also asking Congress for an additional $223.5 million to beef up oversight of hedge funds and private equity markets.

Gensler isn’t shy about his ambitions, noting that the additional money would fund new tech and data initiatives, more staff to investigate more cases, and more funds to support the agency’s enforcement efforts.

But don’t worry, Gensler isn’t just asking for more money to help pad his already cushy salary. Nope, he’s also asking for funds to help American investors.

According to Gensler, the additional funds are necessary to “ensure that investors are getting access to quality information and market integrity when investing in our markets.”

Still, not everyone is happy with Gensler’s budgetary ambitions. There are some who think that the money would be better spent elsewhere.

For example, some critics have argued that the funds would be better used to help support small businesses, invest in climate change research, or help individuals with student loan debt.

But no matter where you stand politically, one thing is for sure: Gary Gensler isn’t going to be satisfied until he gets his hands on $2.436 billion to help protect investors. And when Gary Gensler wants something, you can bet he’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen.

The Pros and Cons of Gary Gensler’s Budget Request

Let’s take a moment to weigh the pros and cons of Gary’s proposed budget for 2022.

Pros

  • Additional funds would help the SEC investigate more cases of market manipulation and ensure investors have access to quality information.
  • The additional funds could help the SEC keep up with advances in technology and data usage.
  • The SEC would be better equipped to enforce the laws that protect investors.

Cons

  • The funds could be better used to support small businesses, invest in climate change research, or help individuals with student loans.
  • It’s a lot of money, and some might argue that Gensler is being greedy.
  • The SEC still has a long way to go in helping to restore public trust in the markets.

At the end of the day, it’s up to Congress to decide how to allocate the SEC’s budget, but one thing is for sure: Gary Gensler isn’t about to settle for anything less than the full $2.436 billion.

But hey, as long as the money is being used to protect investors, maybe we shouldn’t begrudge Gensler for his ambition. After all, someone’s got to do it.