theoretically, but if that got out, they would get stepped on because capitol would band together to put it down. this can only happen once in a blue moon without the oligarchs uniting or just declaring that the people lose by fiat. or get bailed out. or whatever. this mostly worked because nobody actually believed it would.

Depends on the float -- how many shares are circulating -- some stocks have billions of shares, and how many shares the short sellers are shorting.

If they are shorting more than the float than this can happen.