The usual claim is that the people who are involved do have power to effect policies (mostly by deciding what to throw money at I think), and that that's where

The usual claim is that the people who are involved do have power to effect policies (mostly by deciding what to throw money at I think), and that that's where they meet to bounce ideas off eachother and generally get all on the same page. It's the "it's a big club, and you ain't in it" thing.