If Bowser, your big, tough watchdog, was asleep in his doghouse as prowlers raided and trashed your house, you might consider kicking him out the door. Bowser’s job was simple: bark his head off and scare the pants off the intruders. He might have even taken a chunk off the thieves’ bottoms as they ran away. His failure to protect you and your possessions would leave a lasting impression.

The damage done transcends the loss of physical objects. Objects can be replaced, mostly, but the feelings of having been violated and having lost security endure.

Now, replace inept Bowser with another watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Commission. Better known as the SEC, this federal organization has been given the power to monitor the thieves in the investment industry. How good is the SEC at protecting us? On the whole, the SEC has done an extraordinary job at stopping the bad guys. For the most part, we can rest assured that our money will still be there when we wake up.