A witness is making >1.5M$ a year. Imo those funds should be used to enhance the Steem ecosystem wherever possible.
I also don't agree that this is blackmailing. I have community support, it's been only 5 (now 4) votes I don't have. Those guys blocked a community decision, and the community didn't stand a chance to do anything about it. I didn't ask for votes in the OP, because they wouldn't have helped.