Money is speech, the Supremes tell us. Enough speech, widely enough spread, often enough seems to be sufficient to swing elections. QED, money can be used to buy an election, at least within very broad limits (the current Resident is proof that the limits are broad in at least one direction) on who is the beneficiary of that money. Add that to an obscenely wealthy person with delusions of grandeur and it seems apparent that it’s possible to buy the presidency.
I’m not at all sure what we can do about that. The only thing I can come up with would be some sort of requirement on people to spend only other people’s money on their election. Which is beyond odd.
Money is speech, the Supremes tell us. Enough speech, widely enough spread, often enough seems to be sufficient to swing elections. QED, money can be used to buy an election, at least within very broad limits (the current Resident is proof that the limits are broad in at least one direction) on who is the beneficiary of that money. Add that to an obscenely wealthy person with delusions of grandeur and it seems apparent that it’s possible to buy the presidency.
I’m not at all sure what we can do about that. The only thing I can come up with would be some sort of requirement on people to spend only other people’s money on their election. Which is beyond odd.