Now I get it( sometimes it takes a while) If you have a clearance it is assumed that you know stuff that others dont. So your opinion is valued both as a talking head on TV and the lecture circuit and in the boardroom. That means big bucks and the highter the position and clearance the highter the pay day. You dont have to say how you know, that would be reveling sources and get ya in trouble..Just in "my opinion" this is good or that is bad...People will just assume that ya are "IN THE KNOW". Now I know why they want to keep that clearance.
Old info is worth about as much as old news "0"
The question then becomes WHY is the practice allowed in people of both parties? Could it be simply $$$$ ? You scratch my back and I scratch yours???