Trump is actually evidence against your claim. The establishment and lobbyists are terrified of him, and rightly so- he's an egomaniacal, xenophobic megalomaniac with a fuse the size of his tiny, tiny fingers. They tried everything they could to derail him, but he has tapped into the ugly side of American populism. Rage, fear, and authoritarianism have beaten the choice candidates of the monied elite. While I don't disagree that money in politics is a huge problem, I do disagree that voting is futile... but it only works with an educated, engaged populace.

Ha, no. What Trump has suggested is that the *only* way he could lose is due to voter fraud (a problem that is statistically nonexistent). That's dangerous rhetoric at best; it delegitimizes the process (but only if he loses). It's not as if Trump has any actual information on planned fraud or evidence t support his assertions. He's merely covering his ass, because in his mind he *can't* legitimately lose. And yes, the process of voting should be easy and painless for everyone entitled to vote. That's the basis of a functional democracy.