> If money had such a large influences then why did a Presidential candidate who spent about half the other candidate win?
Because there was more enthusiasm for the politics and/or they spent it better? But ask yourself if someone with even more support for policy but $0 could have won. And if not, why.
> Any human interaction can result in people "owning favors".
Economic favors we usually call "corruption".
When I look around the planet I find few places (among western liberal democracies) that have the same sickness with money in politics.
If you look at "democratic health" as e.g. "how many in a parliament were born to (very) rich parents", it feels like there is room for improvement.
Because there was more enthusiasm for the politics and/or they spent it better? But ask yourself if someone with even more support for policy but $0 could have won. And if not, why.
> Any human interaction can result in people "owning favors".
Economic favors we usually call "corruption".
When I look around the planet I find few places (among western liberal democracies) that have the same sickness with money in politics.
If you look at "democratic health" as e.g. "how many in a parliament were born to (very) rich parents", it feels like there is room for improvement.