The only thing bitcoiners can do is to fight the hoarders as much as they can. Dont use MtGox and bitcoinica and send a message to the hoarders.
Fight the hoarders? Is the money I worked hard to earn, which I then put into the bitcoin economy in order to boost is value and get some bitcoin to hoard, not worth anything? Sure, I may not be working directly for bitcoin, but it's not as if I just pulled my hoarded bitcoin, or the money used to buy it with, right out of my ass.
I empathize with you, since there is no decent way to lend or invest unused money for the average joe....if one holds 50 bitcoins and then donates 50% to programming efforts, it wont do squat when Mt gorilla Gox sits still.
I just keep saving away USD in case things improve....hoarders get no bailout from me. Its either spend,sell, or die....and the more you get rid of the ability to 'sell', the better of it is right now. I dont know about the merchants....an exchange that just allows merchants to sell into USD;D