Sorry for the delayed response here...

I understand that a "down vote," "thumbs down," "buttkiss," or WHATEVER the function is called does not change the effect of the function.

My observation is that naming DOES matter in the overall scheme of things. Giving functions appropriate names helps to prevent confusion.

Additionally, I strongly believe that Steemit needs a DIFFERENT and SEPARATE function to signify truly bad behavior that falls outside of the pale of "freedom of speech."

I am NOT saying that those holding Steem Power should not be able to influence a payout in a downward direction, which I understand to be a part of the original design.

And so, respectfully, while I agree that "Changing the name does nothing" in regard to function, I believe that changing the name would help to clarify the purpose of the function, and would help to avoid confusion and ill feelings. ;)