Mods are paid in power and the ability to push their opinions.

A not-insignificant number of them are paid in wages and the ability to push the opinions of their employers. Can't find it, but there was some well-researched accounts of several of the bigger subs being moderated by think tank / party owned accounts, based on IP-tracking and associated account activity.

Most famously, there was the takeover of the /r/Libertarian server by right-wing agitators back in 2018.

That's not even getting into the direct (and indirect) advertising that site admins manage on behalf of the company itself, which is functionally a form of moderation.

Most big subs have some kind of professional staff at this point, if for no other reason than inattentive or rebellious moderators have been purged by Reddit admin. You're not going to find some weekend warrior at the top of /r/pics or /r/news or /r/politics.