For what it's worth you gotta respect the grift. As far as forms of social control go, at least the gravy train of 'consultants' is a bit more stable than 'so, uh, the mayor hired his daughter and she spent this year's school lunch money hiring a big rock band for a party panem et circenses style so you can distract yourself about that one time the mayor fired everyone in the local hospital and kicked your dying grandma to the streets'.