It sounds like we both agree that the fear of the power of rich individuals with regards to campaign finance is overblown. People want to believe that there is

It sounds like we both agree that the fear of the power of rich individuals with regards to campaign finance is overblown. People want to believe that there is some conspiracy of rich people screwing things up and if there weren't then everyone would have roses and unicorns. But I don't think that's quite right. Sure, entities that have a lobbying budget have a bigger say in policy than people without. But they get to influence a couple paragraphs in a 2,000 page bill. You add it all together and you get a bad bill that squanders public resources on private interests. The bill making process is broken, but that doesn't mean there is a cadre of rich people acting as puppet master. The United States government is more like a boat where the captain is drunk and passed out than one highjacked by some nefarious pirate.