I'm sure this was Mini Me tongue in cheek (pinky in mouth). But on the chance that this was a typo, i'll respond, that yes, according to SCOTUS, "corporations are persons" and "money is free speech". The first ruling rests on the dropping of a stipulation in corporate law that corporations have similar to, but different from, the rights of persons. The second ruling completely ignores the fact that money is a "means of exchange", which implies a "quid pro quo" agreement. If I recall, this ruling rested on the argument that with receiving unlimited amounts of money the recipient could buy free speech, such as advertising, but ignores the fact that the exchange of money by definition holds the recipient in debt to the donor.
As much as I hate the idea that money can buy a politician, it does seem necessary in our political culture. I'm not saying it is right; it just looks like a reality of our time.
This problem could be resolved by Law, but it is indeed hard to imagine that a politician would vote for such a law, against his/her own interests.
The problem seems more one of practicality: reaching the constituency requires money. We are a generation raised on popular media, which charges for their services.
^^^ Politicians were bought long before there were the internet, TV or radio. Even before newspapers & magazines. <>
It still requires a huge sum of money to run for political office, which is a big part of the problem. But there is also graft. You are correct.
Just think how many schools we could build with that kind of money, or daycare facilities for children with working parents. Even in Kuwait they set aside a small percentage of their oil revenues. They now have sufficient capital to fund free schooling in perpetuity. And we cannot even pass a single payer healthcare system, as in most developed countries? Is it wonder that we are degenerating into a third world economy? But we can spend a billion dollars on electing a single person to high office? Strange days indeed.
It used to be a lot cheaper, not that long ago - a lot of free time on the major media, campaigns covered as news events rather than media shows, etc. That was before the Republican Party's politicians got rid of things like the Fairness Doctrine and limits on corporate money inputs. Making it a money contest favors the rich.