> IMO the penalties for corruption in public service jobs (all the way to the top!) should also be outsized to match the damage it does to society.

Tough to do when those who write the laws are a part of the problem. What do you suggest to make this so?

Grassroots campaigning and hardline support for candidates running on rule of law and overturning Citizens United. Overturning any status quo is possible in a functioning democracy - it just takes a lot of unskippable effort.

If you talk to people about the things that get you fired up then you might meet other people who also get fired up about these things, and before you know it, one of you is running for office and / or you are all getting involved locally. Or, you just keep talking about it I guess, but I think it at least improves the odds for change.

Passion can be just as contagious as defeatism.

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