Hopefully one day I too could "train the new and influence the old" as it pertains to REI.

Investors have influence on the acceptable market yields in the backdrop of where US Government bonds trade.

I'm a car guy so part of my financial independence will be rewarding myself with the "toys" I want...but I'm very much so more in the camp of doing this in a more fiscally responsible way (ie paying cash) rather than taking on loads of debt. 

I am surprised it took them this long to get organized and start paying for influence.

Richest Man in BabylonThe Compund Effect The AlchemistNever Split The DifferenceThink snd Grow RichHow to win friends and influence peopleCurrently Reading Total Recall: My Unbelievably True life Story

Does being a RE Investor influence that decision?

I would encourage you not to let the ideas of one book overly influence you to the point that you prescribe to only those specific ideas.

His only benefit was from equity paydown(paying the mortgage) his advice was count on 50%, obviously heavily influenced by tenant turnover.On current strategy, the world is yield starved with low rates of return on everything, so many are accepting formally unthinkable returns as "better than money in the bank"I would be firmly in the "time to re-strategize" camp, and think the artificially low interest rates will cause a lot of malinvestment as financial engineering usually does.7.5% should be doable with multifamily or syndicationAlthough there seems to be no end to those who will overpay, perhaps not understanding actual costs or investing for other reasons(besides cashflow) on the commercial side.

Your tolerance for funding negative cash flow, your cash reserves, your credit, your access to outside capital, etc. will all influence where your focus of investing should be.  

As the left-coast states mature their fiscal crises I see this trend escalating over the next decade.