From: Russell Higgins [RAH@goshow.com]
Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2002 3:08 PM
To: 'rule-comments@sec.gov'
Subject: SEC Proposes Requiring Certification of Quarterly and Annual
Repo rts

To put it bluntly, having the crooks certify their own books is a charade.
I am a small investor, a very inactive trader, who actually managed not to
lose money overall in this recession, so far.  However, I would be at a
complete loss to invest further, knowing that corporate America is dominated
by self serving CEO's, and others.  I did not know how much the checks and
balances in the systems had been stripped away through weakened regulations
until Enron blew the lid off it.  
As a professional who is personally liable for my mistakes, without limit as
to amount and time, I am always at a loss when the public expresses
amazement that corporate officers turn out to be crooks.  I stand to lose
everything from a bad decision, a corporate officer stands to lose nothing,
nothing except the endless millions he would lose out on by being "honest".

If you want to restore faith in corporate America, I suggest real penalties
that will strip the wrong doers of not only their ill gotten gains, but all
their wealth, as they have shown they care only for wealth.  This should
also comply to lesser extents to the board members and senior staff who do
not report mismanagement by the corporate officers.
I am hardly alone in these beliefs.
This more than any other issue will cripple the market.  Without decisive
and publicized action, this wound will fester and grow with every
disclosure.