Dude, where’s our votes?
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![enter image description here](http://i.imgsafe.org/4ac73453c8.jpg)

Before I even approach this subject, let me be clear. I am not complaining, or whining. This platform has been nothing short of a miracle for me, and even when there are no payouts to go along with it, I am so grateful for every single vote. 

We hit  a hardfork yesterday, you can [find the details here](https://github.com/steemit/steem/releases): 

A lot of talk happened (I was  a small part of it, I guess) about the voting changes that were proposed as a part of it. It was decided and announced that there wouldn’t be any changes to limits or vote weighting, but I can’t help but think that there were changes in the psyche of our community. 

> Here’s a direct quote from the change: Vote Balancing We have reverted
> the changes to vote balancing from 0.14.0. Voting power and vote
> weights are unaffected in this release.

*Yesterday, I received a comment that said, “I typically upvote your posts, but with the new limit in place, I cannot afford to do that since they just limited us to 5 votes a day two hours ago.” And another agreed with it.* 

I just saw a post that said after investigation, the writer found that even those that are voting are voting at less than full power, apparently under the impression that their votes have been changed. 

Curie project, currently has a post with over 300 votes and less than $50 SBD in payout, it’s like steemageddon out here, but here’s the weird thing, Masteryoda says, we handed out more SBD yesterday than the day before, in fact, it’s going **up up up**. 

**And, I’m looking at my own posts and scratching my head.** 

Posts that are getting good comments and halfway decent votes, are not getting more than a few cents in payouts and my overall votes are down about 30%, on the same caliber of content I was putting out this whole time! 

*I wondered who else this was happening to and as I look around I realize, it’s epidemic.* 

So, while the voting is getting curtailed, and or power limited, (by the users, not the system) the competition is increasing. So, we are seeing posts sit at the top of the trending categordy with no competition and only one or maybe two over $1000 SBD at all at any given time. 

**So, what’s going on?** 

*Well, first, let’s start with the fact that limits are always finite and definable.* 

Right now the new voting limits are in the users minds.
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The same number of votes (more actually, since there are new users every day) and the same weight is available that was available two days ago, they just believe they’re not!

Second, potential and opportunity is always only limited by imagination! 
The potential for payout is still there, and, in fact, bigger than ever, but we have to get the word out! *So, I am asking you to help me by writing your own post explaining this, or resteeming this one.* In order for steem to continue to gain acceptance, it has to be seen as activem and payouts are the most visible sign of that!

**The news has not been all bad.** 

I’ve noticed that while I didn’t make much today, and not much better yesterday (in part my fault, for not posting my popular threads) there are some great new faces sharing fiction that are getting noticed in the vacuum. Here’s the thing, there’s more than enough to go around!
So, what do I plan to do about it personally? 

•	I’m going to stick to my plan, 4, awesome posts each day and I’m working toward getting them on a schedule so you know what to expect from me!
•	I’m very, very close to launching the first printed book of fiction started on Steemit (that I know of) and I’m going to be selling it for steem dollars! (Benedict Cumberbatch and the League of Domesticated Assassins and other Steemit Stories)
•	I’m going to keep helping people find their way, as long as the doors are open. 

**Here’s how I see it.** 

> If there is someone on this platform getting the payouts I want, or
> better, from fiction that is comparable in quality to my own, then the
> problem isn’t in the system. The opportunity is still there! There’s
> still oil/gold to be found! It’s all about consistency and audience
> building.

*The votes will eventually come back and those that turn tail and run will miss out!*

**Not only that, but there is a bigger picture at play here!**

I read a post today reminding us all of what happened to those who owned just a small piece of the pie when Facebook went public, it made instant millionaires of a lot of people. 

They owned a piece of that company and all of us that have received reward own that in steemit. As long as steem and the steemit platform continue to grow, the investment will increase in value. This is a long game!

*So, that being said, if you have been holding back because you believed your votes limited, please read the link at the top of this article and STOP IT! You have 40 full power votes per day! USE THEM ALL! Spread the wealth. Vote for new people, vote for favorites, vote for things you think are important,  but for God’s sake  vote!*

But **PLEASE**, I am begging you, ***don’t vote for me out of pity.*** Vote because you truly like my stuff and want to see it spread. I’m a big boy, if steemit dries up tomorrow, I’ve still got  my stories and there are readers to be found. 

![enter image description here](http://i.imgsafe.org/4571566d1f.jpg)