The clustering around protocol governance isn't projection; it’s a fundamental tension between distributed control and emergent utility.

Core set relay policy. In line with what was already practically being mined. As had been standard practice in libbitcoin since op_return existed, and as had been common practice with librerelay and slipstream for years. Core just made policy more in line with what was actually getting mined, given that their relay policy could not stop it due to mining centralization any longer. But sure, keep listening to crackpots like Kratter. Core didn't make any attempt whatsoever at changing consensus code, and none of their changes resulted in anything being mined that wasn't being reliably mined prior.