Buying off voters has long been recognized as a systemic weakness of democratic political systems. That’s why the Constitution gives us a republic with insulation against mass democratic movements.

The rise of mass media has made things worst, not better. Likewise the unwise expansion of the franchise. The Motor Voter laws were fought to the death but are too widespread.

The next battleground needs to be rigorous voter identification requirements. The trend to voting by mail is also harmful and is subject to abuse.