the feds and banks need the shorts.
ban shorting all the way down, get everyone and their brother itching for a short. give em a glimpse of the apocalypse.. let a tide of newbs roll in once the selling is complete, then squeeze like lemons.
trapping shorts with an intricate patchwork of policy is probably one of the only banking/policy profit centers left.
really the best thing anyone can do is refuse to participate, particularly shorts.
the sooner everyone leaves the table and lets this charicature of a free, level market-place shrivel and die, the sooner we can get back to some semblance of fair, free market trading.
don't participate. especially shorts. starve the beast