They could remove the barriers, and make an individuals down vote the same as an up vote. If an individual up votes to excess, the people of steem can remove rewards. If the people of steem down vote a post there is no counter to the down vote option for those that abuse the down vote. If a down vote had an auto posted comment, then the people of steem could decide if the down voter overstepped the bounds and the intent of the down vote system.

Then intent of the down vote system is not to down vote just because you do not like a person, topic, or idea.