I would agree. But think of the logistics for this feature: in order for you to downvote, you have to provide a reason. Should we show the userId for the commen

I would agree. But think of the logistics for this feature: in order for you to downvote, you have to provide a reason. Should we show the userId for the comment? If so, we defeat the anonymous voting feature. If not, comments can become fertile ground for trolling. (Of course admin can identify the anonymous comment writer but we do not want to create a mods-heavy forum a la Reddit). I think a standard choice list for downvoting may not be a bad idea. The choice list can begin with all the regular logical fallacies (ad homimen, non-sequiter, false equivalance, appeal to authority etc). That way, I'd guess, the community improves its ability to argue thoughtfully and logically. I love HN. It's the one forum I will never consider a total waste of time.