So it used to be "only white, male landowners are responsible enough to invest" and now its "only the very richest Americans are responsible enough to invest".

The SEC is blatantly discriminating. Why can't I sign a piece of paper and accept responsibility for myself? I'm a grown man with 200k+ in assets, I don't need the government to protect me.

If you're a grown man with $200k+ in assets, you appear to qualify to be an accredited investor and you don't need the government to protect you...which is the point of the accredited investor rules. You have the financial resources to absorb a few bad investments/scams. Most people don't have the resources to absorb even one bad investment.

In the United States, to be considered an accredited investor, one must have a net worth of at least $1,000,000, excluding the value of one's primary residence, or have income at least $200,000 each year for the last two years (or $300,000 combined income if married

Are you sure they are the same people. That is the people being scammed and the people asking for the SEC?