The pubs situation has been and remains frustrating. I was banned early from one pub and have never desired (or perhaps been able) to get back there, although it remains the best option for my genre. That was a big blow, the result of a cruelly capricious decision by an editor. But that's not my problem with pubs. The issue is, the quality is all over the place, and it seems as if publishing in a pub--unless it's Vanity Fair--makes little difference in getting readers. I also feel there should be a flat reward for simply sticking with this, beyond followers (does little for me) or the absurdity of "top writer" badges. I make $150 to $250 a month here --and I write good stuff, churning out 3-5 stories a week consistently. I can't make a living this way, but I'm better off than the vast majority of Medium writers. Your tiered democracy has several plusses....here's hoping the brass reads it an co-opts some of your ideas!