No system has ever provided such high quality, low cost financial instruments with great liquidity and marginal trading costs accessible to anyone with a checking account.

The financial markets we have today are equitable and highly accessible. They are anything but rigged.

Now, you have to have enough money to buy a full share of whatever company you want. So Amazon has a minimum buy-in of about $1,900. One good argument for stock splits is that it makes your stock more accessible.

I don’t know what you mean by “poor people economics” but it sounds like you think saving and investing is beyond their reach. I disagree and I think it betrays more about you than I.

There are certainly times when spending all (or even in excess of all) your annual income is a rational and smart decision. But no matter what your income level, it is always true that some years you must save money aside from paying down loans.

The market is irrelevant for a vanishingly small number of people. The market is ignored by a large percentage of people who could benefit greatly from it.

I’m well aware most people don’t have $500 in their bank account. I would argue that makes equitable market access more important.

What? That's the key method by which people pay for their retirement. Of course they are gaining real money.

Joe six pack's biggest problem is their own ignorance.