From: Hempny@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 2:05 PM
To: rule-comments@sec.gov
Subject: (no subject) (s7-19-03)

To Whom It May Concern: 

Given that the SEC is still accepting comments on a proposal that would 
improve the ability of minority shareholders to nominate candidates to the 
board of directors, I would like to express my support for such action, in 
what I view a very necessary first step toward shareholder democracy. 

We must make sure that the public at large, shareholders all in some way or 
another, regain faith back in the system by changing the current rules under 
which management exerts almost total control over who serves on the board of 
directors. As a result directors tend to be very pro-management, rarely 
asking tough questions about questionable business practices or excessive 
executive compensation. Indeed, many of the recent scandals can be blamed 
in part on insider boards. Shareholder democracy is a critical first step 
to fixing the problem.
 
One of the best ways to ensure that boards are independent of management is 
to give shareholders more say in who gets to serve on the board of directors. 
I, and others I know, support giving shareholders increased ability to 
nominate candidates for the board of directors.
 
Sincerely,
An American