Absolutely. Money and corruption often go hand in hand, regardless of the ruling system.

The US has previously been a great example of how socialist policies can be implemented as part of a capitalist system. World-leading programs like public education, retirement security, and healthcare in old age; even environmental protection and workers’ rights fit in here. This was when politicians actually had turnover and things like Citizens United and Super PACs weren’t a thing.

But the US is now a great example of how infection can spread and destroy even the best laid systems, leaving us with an oligarchy of nearly unfettered capitalism with constant degradation of the socialist policies. Where the money from the wealthy flows directly into our governance. And it’s utterly toxic.

It’s time to shift the power back to the masses. It’s already been done under this structure. It just needs a 21st century kick in the ass to get it up to (1) stop reversing all the incredible progress made in the 20th century and (2) get a handle 21st century issues like global tax evasion, housing markets upended by investment schemes, wealth distributed entirely through shareholder value, etc. These problems are all solvable under the current system, it just takes lawmakers who give a flying fuck.