It’s time to make such scams as short selling, illegal. If you or I were to sell something we don’t actually possess, we would be done for fraud. As far as I am concerned that is exactly what short sellers have committed.

There have been too many whistle-blowers who once they made their cash in the stock market are telling exactly what goes on: insider-dealing, talking stocks down and so on.

Like MPs’ expense claims, it’s time to take away their privileges and make share traders accountable and open.

wow - it looks like Gordon Brown agrees with us. At least shorting in banking and insurance is being suspended for some time. Didn’t realise we had so much influence
And now Dubya too…
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/20/business/20sec.html?hp