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You’ve heard of the Federal Tax Code? States have those, too. There are strict limits on investing as an individual via tax deferred accounts. I won’t list all the ways, but you can take it from here.

Since I have a master's degree in business taxation, and my husband and I have invested in the stock market for 30 years, I know taxes and I know investing.

I have no idea about what strict limits you're talking about for individuals investing in a tax deferred account. There are a few prohibited assets such as life insurance and antiques and collectibles. But most folks will do fine with stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs in their tax deferred accounts. Personally, I highly recommend low cost index funds.

Moreover, you don't have to hold stock in a tax deferred account to get favorable federal tax treatment. Many people are in a low enough tax bracket so that, for federal tax purposes, they won't pay any tax on qualified dividends or long term capital gains. Shoot, I had $100K in long term capital gains in 2014, and I'll pay 15% federal tax on that.

So no - in no way, shape, or form does the US and state governments make stock ownership expensive. You're just wrong.

Whoa, lots of neat things today! I mean, yesterday's plunge and bounce up was the day after that leap & big fall back --ok so stocks are further down under their 50-day moving averages in higher volume (distribution count 3 for S&P, 1 for NASDAQ), but stock futures today are STELLAR AT +0.91% and climbing. Metals futures may be soft (-0.12%) but they're hanging on to the new base; gold&silver now at $1,246.05 and $17.10. Yesterday's plunge was blamed on Retail Sales. IMHO the plunge was caused by falling prices but I digress, there's a big list of market trend excuses today too--

Initial Claims
Continuing Claims
PPI
Core PPI
Empire Manufacturing
Philadelphia Fed
Natural Gas Inventories

--and the headlines are goofy enough that we get a good laugh w/o even bothering to click the links:

The GOP's Rush to Court Wall Street - Harold Meyerson, Washington Post
Book: A Startling Defense of Economic Freedom - Harry Binswanger, RCM
Frustration the Real Reason For the Market Selloff - Kenny Polcari, CNBC
Five Things Investors Should Know For 2015 - John Waggoner, USA Today
5 Charts For Fully Invested Bears - Lance Roberts, StreetTalk Live
Market Madness Started With End Of QE - Jeff Cox, NetNet