I've suggested that smerit automatically be distributed based on activity. The higher ranked, more active members would get more smerit than the lower ranks; this does not duplicate the activity value, as that is beneficial to the giver, while smerit is beneficial only to the receiver.
Then everyone who is active on the forum will become a merit source. I hacked or sold an account that will be able to earn a lot of merits and send them to the account farm. Believe me, you cannot control that. There are thousands of hacked accounts around, and those accounts will keep posting in less active sections or in some sections where the DT members usually do not visit.
They will acquire a lot of smerits and often send those merits to their alt accounts. There would be no way to know if you do not pay attention too closely. I think the current merit system is good already. People complain about it because they are unable to get merits.