Emailgate only one aspect of shadow influence

As emailgate unfolds, the extent of the "alleged" shadow government in Santa Fe will come as a surprise to some people. They will be further surprised to discover that the width and depth of the shadow hides much more than politicians and public servants' in-private public business..

The shadow, by which I mean the players, extends beyond government to every other influential institution, even the press.

There is a theory that no two people on earth are further away from each other than six introductions, wikilink. In the shadows there are no introductions needed.

There is at most, one degree of separation between an overwhelming majority of members of bodies of influence. A relative handful of people, serving on a disproportionately large number of boards, executive committees and task forces, exert a shadow influence on all decision making.

It would be interesting to examine the degree of separation between influential institutions and government by means of the small group of people and commingled directorships.

It is hard to imagine more diametrically opposite endeavors than participation in a effort to end shadow government, and being a major player in a "legal" shadow government. Yet Pat Rogers was not only a player on both teams, but one of both teams' heavy hitters. Can anyone say, appearance of a conflict of interest?

Pat Rogers, a player in a shadow government and a player in the institution bent on eliminating shadow government. Is that one degree of separation or none?


With regard to in-private decision making about the public interests, Rogers argues, its all "lawful", and in so doing, points to the standards of conduct, to which he is willing to be held personally accountable.

Not to put to fine a point on it, but
the "law" is the lowest standard of
conduct there is, and not a very
high bar.

People who hold themselves
accountable to higher standards
of conduct, require from themselves
more than the law requires, and afford themselves of less nefariousness than the law allows.

And there are higher standards of conduct than the law; ethical standards for example, and the most widely shared delusion about government, is that politicians and public servants are somehow accountable to them. They are not, clearly.

There are other people of the if its "legal", it's alright ilk.
They and the shadow they bring with them to stretches to Boards of Directors, Executive Committees, and governance committees of all sorts everywhere.

Though they may have no particular allegiance to each other, the have allegiance to a system that accommodates people just like them. They take care of each other. They protect each other. They protect the system that enables their continued wielding of power by means of in-private deliberations and decision making.

And its all "legal".

Shadow government, shadow influence everywhere,
is evidence of a deliberate and concerted effort to continue manage transparency. They manage the conflict by pulling strings on both sides of the fight.

Pat Rogers was equally adept and welcome pulling strings on both sides of a fundamental principle of democracy.




photo Mark Bralley