# The Community Wants to Know: Episode 1 \[Transcript\] **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Tags:** cardano, governance, news, drep\ **Created:** [23 February 2026 09:00 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-community-wants-to-know-episode-1-transcript/153310 "2026-02-23T09:00:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 2
**Author:** ![gintama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a4c791/32.png) [@gintama](https://forum.cardano.org/u/gintama)\ **Post date:** [23 February 2026 09:38 UTC](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-community-wants-to-know-episode-1-transcript/153310/2 "2026-02-23T09:38:35Z")
This is a summary of the interview from the podcast series “The Community Wants to Know” features an **early dRep** who registered during the pioneer **Voltaire Era** and at his peak held nearly **1 million ADA in delegation**. The discussion explores his technical experiences, his shift in motivation, and his critiques of the current Cardano governance system. ### **Registration and Background** The dRep described the initial registration process as technically difficult, requiring multiple attempts through a desktop wallet before his **500 ADA deposit** was successfully processed. Originally drawn to Cardano in 2020 by the values of “Cardano Whale,” he moved his holdings from Luna, believing Cardano was a **community-focused project** that could survive independently of its founding entities. ### **Participation and Engagement Trends** Over time, the guest’s active involvement and delegation numbers significantly declined: - **Delegation Drop:** His ADA delegation fell from 1 million to approximately **292,000** , a 70% decrease. - **Low Participation:** He has voted on only **11 out of 88 governance actions** (a 12.9% rate) and provided rationales for roughly half of those votes. - **Delegator Sentiment:** He believes his remaining delegators are largely inactive and only remain for **staking rewards** , noting that many no longer engage with him. ### **Governance Critiques and Voting Rationales** The interview highlights a deep disillusionment with the current governance process, which the guest now views as a **“popularity contest”** rather than a system of accountability. Key points of contention include: - **Institutional Funding:** He voted “No” on the **70 million ADA budget** for founding entities, arguing they should have completed their work with the funds raised during Cardano’s inception. - **The Interim Constitution:** Although he signed the original document, he now expresses regret. He claims that promises made by Charles Hoskinson regarding **increased representation for developing countries** like India and the Philippines have not been fulfilled. - **Ambiguity:** He criticizes the current constitution as being too complex and **legally ambiguous** , suggesting it favors American legal perspectives and should have been a much simpler document focused on **technical guard rails**. ### **Philosophical Stance on Payments and the CC** The dRep advocates for a **minimalist governance** model: - **dRep Payments:** He argues that payments should be **optional donations** from delegators via wallet systems rather than being funded by the treasury. - **Constitutional Committee (CC):** He believes the CC should not exist and favors a **one-page constitution** that ensures “minimum governance, minimum interference, [and] minimum bureaucracy”. ### **Conclusion** At the close of the interview, the dRep stated he will **not be actively participating** in governance moving forward. In response, the interviewer announced their intention to shift their ADA delegation to **“no confidence”** for all upcoming governance actions. --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.cardano.org/t/the-community-wants-to-know-episode-1-transcript/153310)._