[throwway120385]

It didn't used to be until Citizens United. Before that point donation to a Political Action Committee was indistinguishable from donation to a campaign, and that decision created a distinction that the rich then ruthlessly exploited to fund campaign ads and paid speakers and paid writers on social media.

[asddubs]

but now ask yourself why we got citizens united and you'll maybe see what your parent poster is saying

[_bohm]

Citizens United was certainly disastrous, but there were many avenues to buy political influence before it.