It's not underground; the rules we moderate by are clearly stated. We don't discuss specific moderation in public threads because we choose to keep such discussions private, between the user involved and us.
I can give you an example of why. Moderation isn't just done on the basis of the rules, but also in light of the user's moderation history. Users are often surprised when we send them a summary of their moderation history in conjunction with a discussion of moderation done to their accounts. They've forgotten how many times they broke rules, and when they see how the moderation was escalated gradually and often very patiently over time, they often see things in a different light. Any discussion of specific moderation necessitates our bringing that information in, and this can be very uncomfortable and embarrassing for the user involved.
Since the only goal of moderation is to keep things running smoothly, we see no reason to embarrass users. Anyone can make a mistake, forget a rule, or lose their cool in a heated discussion. That's why we start out very easy, with reminders that are only heads-up messages, not punishment. We're happy when we don't need to moderate, because that means things are running smoothly.
General discussions of moderation, like the one here, are just fine in Site and Forum Feedback, just as are general questions or complaints or suggestions about the rules.
There are administrators who oversee moderation, this section where users can ask or complain about the rules, the contact form, and reviews that we always do when asked (and we do reverse moderation when we see we've made a mistake). Moderation is transparent; all moderators and administrators see all moderation done, and who did it. We have very good documentation. When you look at all of that, and see how hard we've worked to ensure a fair and transparent system, it's pretty hard to agree with you that moderators (whom you insist on putting in quotation marks, as if they're not really moderators) are "the bigger abusers of the forum rules". It shows a lack of respect for the volunteers who help keep the site you use running, and it's simply not true.
