As for your idea about seeing how other Monks voted, I think it is horrid.

True, I agree. I wasn't proposing it. But, given the proper self restraint, it would be interesting. :)

Meanwhile, I too am in favor of having to take nodes at face value as talexb mentioned earlier. It's the simplest, most elegant answer to having votes and XP at all.

Every thread I've read, and each time I too have tried to think about additional value that might be wrung out of the point/XP system, ends up in a variety of dead ends with more complication than one would want.

Ultimately, I end up back at being ok with a simple, unalloyed, voting/experience system such as we have. So far, any other complexity or augmentation just seems to fall flat in debate.