We are all quite familiar with the revolving door between government, business, and lobbying that became so blatant in the 90s Congress was compelled to develop rules re. lobbying by former government officials. We also know how much of a charade it all became, in short order; the mandatory "quiet period" was of little consequence, a trivial annoyance at most that was easily skirted by work-arounds. These policy centers still exist today, the money is even greater. However, they play only a very discrete role and are but a minor part of a much larger system of power and influence that has evolved in the past 15 years, a new professional class of movers and shakers—people who serve overlapping roles in government, business, and media with smiling finesse—who increasingly control the flow of power and money in America. Meet the Flexians.
http://www.psmag.com/books-and-culture/meet-flexians-government-business-media-money-power-wall-street-65029"A flexian [...]is a creature peculiar to our moment in history: a mover and shaker who serves multiple, overlapping roles with smiling finesse—business consultant, think tank fellow, government adviser. He is someone who 'glides in and around the organizations that enlist his services. [...] It is not just his time that is divided. His loyalties, too, are often flexible. Even the short-term consultant doing one project at a time cannot afford to owe too much allegiance to the company or government agency. Such individuals are in these organizations (some of the time anyway), but they are seldom of them.'
Flexians aren’t people furtively violating the law by stuffing cash into a freezer or promoting their cousins. They are a professional class obeying a new, elite social code that practically requires bending old rules. [...] Flexians are everywhere, once you start looking."
But what isn't readily apparent are the informal networks these individuals form, groups that are transparent only to themselves. This article is not imagining a vast conspiracy of elites, bent on taking over the world (although some do have interlocking, global connections). Rather, what I found most interesting is how effecting they are in controlling the flow of large sums of money when called upon to do so, and how, if "fully activated," they would be capable of overriding most democratic processes. No one in government, from top to bottom, could really do very much about it. [frankly, once the "right" leaders/representatives are put in place, and given the "requisite funding," would we not expect them to be too "incentivized" to much care?]
