Technology

My point is that institutions like that simply should not exist. They are effectively lobbying groups (if it's nonprofit / non-governmental organization) or propaganda machines (if established by the people in power).

Neither has any place in democracy.

We don't need "purpose built" think tanks; we need people with actual experience, with jobs, etc. giving in their 10 cents of expertise when required.

And they should be required only when the governmening bodies are implementing things they have been actually voted in to do. We shouldn't havr good-for-nothing "government employees" fearing to be out of job creating busywork for themselves that only perpetuates and creates layers upon layers of useless bureaucracy that nakes the average person's lives worse.