Everything government does is because of big money lobbying: Medicare, Medicaid, farmers, tax deductions for charities, child care, tuition, electric cars and business expenses, food stamps, weapons systems, military bases, college loans and grants, NASA, Earned Income Tax Credit, even daylight savings time.
These lobbies represent the diverse interests of groups who all think their cause is deserving. The members of Congress look out for the interests of their district and would support these issues without any lobby money because that is how they get elected. Many powerful lobbies do not even give campaign contributions but are powerful because of the size of their membership. Put the AARP up against a rival group with unlimited funds and see who wins.
The role of money in elections is viewed much too simplisticly by many Americans. An environmental group gives money to a House member because he supports their agenda. He doesn't support their agenda because they give him money. People who are more motivated by money are much more likely to think an official has been "bought" than those less motivated.
Outlawing political advertising would not only be unconstitutional but result in less informed voters.
How many posters would admit that campaign money determined their vote? But they are all convinced the money is affecting the votes of other voters (obviously less enlightened than they are)
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I see no evidence of that.....
