I’ve never really understood how there’s so many consulting businesses out there. Even ignoring government grift, How do so many other companies use consultants enough to justify how many of them there are and how much they get paid?
In the world of politics "consulting" businesses provide a way to move money around and reward allies without the inconvenient legal requirements of employment.
What better way to help your allies than hire them to do some undefined task like "provide advice" and then pay them $10,000 per month. The "advice" is what they say out back on the patio. "I think the steaks are done now."