I think a short sale is a sale of borrowed stock which you must some day return to the owner. It is not like a put or call which are options and can be allowed to expire. You have to cover a short at some time in the future, at least theoretically. In the meantime there is a charge for borrowing the stock.
In the case of a short, your losses are theoretically unlimited since you are on the hook for any increase in price of the stock after you sell it and before you cover.
I just think a lot of people seem upset about the 'naked' shorts when the bigger issue is whether Goldman abused it's insider knowledge.