"Perhaps a thread about what is an ordinary person might shake a few leaves off branches?"

Not a bad idea.

One of the real problems with government advisors is they have to agree with the government line or else they don't get appointed or get sacked when they point out things might not be what the politicos want to hear (the chap who said alcohol was more dangerous than cannabis for example). Also, these advisors tend to be drawn from a certain demographic. Successful, self-made people they might be, but like it or not having pots of cash will skew your view away from someone without money.