When I was first reading about HF20 on, I think it was @tcpolumath's post the words "highest value post" were what stuck out the most to me. I understand a little bit better about the post payout and rewards after "tc's" explanation.
Along with this and in response to a comment below, doing away with the self vote is not something they will give up. it benefits them in a number of ways, the two most important, they can give themselves money whenever they want, and can make redfish and small minnows throw away their votes and potential reward by convincing them to self vote. A small minnow or redfish, anyone without sufficient vote power to cast a $0.02 or more vote , on themselves have only succeeded in burning up one of their potential rewards.One of the reasons I tell new users to wait until their post is at a payout level of at least $0.03 before voting for themselves.
I think the "old guard" are getting worried about the up and coming new guard. Witnesses need support from the stakeholders, there are a lot of them that see that they are doing things that are contrary to growth, and investors want growth potential, not stagnation. I do not know what the turn over in the top 20 witnesses has been in the last 6 months, but I am sure there have been some changes. Let us hope it continues and the poor choice can be stopped before it is implemented.
Awesome to hear from you on this subject @bashadow! As always I like to hear your thoughts. I also like it because you always have a more experienced perspective than me, and you (unlike others in the older classes) aren't afraid to tell it like it is! I completely agree with you that much has been wasted over the last few years on dust votes from the newbies and minnows that didn't know any better...
And I hope you are right about the "old guard" getting changed. That is some straight up ridiculousness they are trying to sell us with that solution. If they want to take away the author rewards, then whey not just give it to the curators of that post? Wouldn't that make a helluva lot more sense?
Some minnow but mostly Dolphin accounts are getting the notice, people are paying attention to the people that are actually trying to help them. The whales are not getting any notice. The rich have always been afraid of the middle class, thus the stranglehold many countries have put on the middle class, steemit is no different in that. Take a good look at what dolphins/orca accounts are being harassed by botnets, opt in this opt out that, oh you buy votes, oh you don't buy votes. I saw what happened a couple days after the @steemcommunity post from paulg, I read that post, I looked at the list, I gave my feedback on that list. Then I saw that something happened, knee jerk reactions on the part of several people. large behind the scenes mostly people. All because she was doing her job, enough said on that it is on the post in question.
the problems @deliberator is having with so called transparency, which is a laugh, You read TC's post, there is a war going on, a war of "look at me I am still relevant" see jerry banfields laughing stock post and whinny my butt is hurt post. it is not just him trying to remain relevant, but others also.
The crash to steemit is coming, but I think they think they are going to win, I do not think so. The Orca's, Dolphin's, Minnow's and redfish, know we outnumber them a thousand to one.
@bashadow I hope you are right and you know I have valued your opinions for a long time! Thank you for taking the time to give me a headsup and a good analysis of how you see things working!