I think I need to read more about this reward pool because I was of the understanding that the pool was fixed and that it was handed out to people on a percentage basis (post vests/total vests).

But yea, a lot of people said at the time, and I agree, that changing vote scaling AND the cost of voting at the same time was a bad idea.

Most people will read about HF19 and gain from it - 10 votes per day maximum. They are not limiting their voting. Everyone votes for their own posts so they aren't being cut so it's slightly worse than 1/4. Sure the votes are worth more, but it's less interaction (being replaced by commenting).

HF19 effectively gave us the ability to add 4 votes to a post, but for minnows without the slider it means we can't go any smaller than that (without external tools).

Would lowering the bar for access to the vote power slider be a solution?

How about introducing a minimum value for the slider so if your vite has to be worth at least X amount or you can't cast it, and give the slider to everyone?

The solution has to be spreading the love, not consolidating it.