Whether the thread be trashed or the post deleted, it simply means that the post does not contribute to a discussion. This may not be the case for all posts but should encompass most deleted posts.
No.
The OP can delete a post. Say I open up a topic to complain about someone here, every response I get says that I'm wrong and some of those posts get merited. Then, enraged by everyone's narrowmindedness, I delete the thread - it doesn't mean their posts weren't worth meriting. This means that someone could attack some people who post on threads. Also, who do these merits then go to? Do they go back to the sMerit spender or do they just disappear.
Then let us avoid that case. What, then, would you say about deleted posts and merit?
(I also hope that in self-moderated threads, there could be some section to actually check deleted posts. Either non-intrusive or a link off to the side. Maybe in the new forum coming in 3018?)
I think that for deleted posts, the merit should simply disappear. If we're avoiding the above case, then meriting a crappy post shouldn't result in a refund. Isn't that pretty prone to abuse?