I think you're missing the point of IRAs too. The primary point of IRAs is that you can defer taxes from a time when you have high taxes (your working years), to a period of when you can have low taxes (retirement). That's it. Being able to trade stocks within an IRA is a side benefit. Another side benefit is no taxes on things like dividends inside your IRA. Those are not the primary benefit.
I think you're missing the point of IRAs too. The primary point of IRAs is that you can defer taxes from a time when you have high taxes (your working years), to a period of when you can have low taxes (retirement). That's it. Being able to trade stocks within an IRA is a side benefit. Another side benefit is no taxes on things like dividends inside your IRA. Those are not the primary benefit.