Would a surcharge tax on automated computer high frequency trades take some of the volatility out of the market?
A lot of folks believe that, and my experience is that them that do have never personally owned shares. Government intervention in to sudden financial price swings is kind of like the way they tried calling out the police and fire hoses during a run on a bank just ended up w/ a major rtot throughout the entire financial district.
Government control of market prices does not work. Governments coin/regulate money and punish fraud/crime and let buyers and sellers earn a living.