This is one of those excellent thought-provoking posts that I like 😀
A couple of observations;
First, that the Hive "Middle Class" is a diverse group, so it's unlikely you'll ever see any kind of block vote. Personally, I regard that as a good thing, because although it's less dramatic, it reflects the healthily diverse spread of Hivers.
Second, is that I believe we really, really need to focus earnings away from whales and onto the middle and lower class of Hivers. Right now, curation and author rewards are pleasant but not earth-shaking. The real earnings are going to the top 20 witnesses and developers scooping up DHF funding (often the same people). I'd love to see witness rewards taper down more slowly, so there's less of a sharp cut-off between #20 and #21. I also firmly believe DHF proposals should be scrutinised more carefully, with business cases that identify what the funds are spent on in detail, what success looks like, and how (in layman's terms) the proposal benefits Hive.
I recognise the great work that witnesses and developers do, but there needs to be closer scrutiny and accountability to ensure good cost control. Funds saved that way could then help the middle class grow, which in turn would hopefully help attract new users.
People need to take accountability for what goes on. There are ways to increase one's influence on Hive.