I checked the sample and am aware of it, and it definitely fits what I and most others would see as a circle of voters. I am just one of those that have seen good intentions spread to extremely bad results. A group of 9-14 people. When the small groups less than 15 are done with then what, do we expand to 30 in a co-op/tribe community? 40 in a co-op?
Two years, approaching three, this has gone on with that particular account. She had and until a few months ago still had, some very nice post that attracted a lot of attention. people, as with Hajien's account, tried to take some action. it created some great drama to watch unfold, grumpycat account tried to point out a lot of ways that behind the scenes under the radar was working, he gave up.
... a delicate matter...
Ask anyone that has been involved with CPS (Child Protective Services), in any country what they think of the handling of the delicate matter of child protection worked out. It is not just CPS either there is an entire alphabet soups worth of groups that started off with good intentions.
Like the old quote "The road to hell is paved with good intentions".
!BEER
Just voicing my thoughts on the matter, no intent to come off as accusatory of any of this coming to pass from any individual or group involved. I am not turning a blind eye toward down voting things of this nature, but my own personal feelings of this type of down vote is that in the long run it will not be good for steem.
Plagiarism and excessive rewards are in my view a good reason to down vote, down voting someone for who they vote for is not even if it is a circle of voters like above. I understand in matter of fact it is to do with the rewards not the vote, it needs to be put out that way. Words do matter.
"We have this group of people that have been providing excessive rewards to each other and I think we should down vote some of these for the excessive rewards for low quality content they have been providing each other"
In the above you are not down voting their VOTE choices, their CIRCLE of FRIENDS, you are down voting the excessive rewards they give each other for low effort or low quality content. It is not a personal reason it is a financial reason.
I agree with you but the emphasis in the discussion on 'voting circles' tends to, perhaps more than intended, and almost certainly more than is ideal, put the focus on who is voting, who is receiving votes, and how those votes are made. In fact, it is the farming aspects which matters more than than the 'circle' aspect, as you said.