While you're not wrong that campaign donations aren't a direct benefit to the politicians, you're arguing on a too limited scope. Donating to a campaign buys i

While you're not wrong that campaign donations aren't a direct benefit to the politicians, you're arguing on a too limited scope. Donating to a campaign buys influence. That politician is keen to keep a good relationship to the donators do keep the money flowing, and get good deals outside the campaign, get positions that pays him/her directly ect. In really bad cases a donor can blatantly say "I have this new boat, since I've used it once it's only worth half of the original sales price - want to buy it? And completely omit that it was actually build for the donatee". That is just some of the examples of indirect payment involved in blatant corruption.