Future Hindsight The Politics of Corruption: Tiffany Muller
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Mar 5, 2026 
Tiffany Muller, leader of End Citizens United and Let America Vote, fights to curb big money in politics and protect voting rights. She breaks down how Citizens United reshaped elections and how billionaires and dark money influence policy. Listens include practical civic actions like town halls, phone banking, and postcard campaigns to push for reform.
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Citizens United Transformed Political Spending
- Citizens United overturned a century of precedent by declaring money as speech and allowing corporations to spend unlimited amounts in elections.
- Billionaire spending rose from $16 million in 2008 to $2.6 billion in 2024, a 162x increase that drowns out everyday voices.
Soft Corruption Shapes Policy Outcomes
- Money now buys access and influence rather than direct bribes, skewing policy toward wealthy interests.
- Example: a reconciliation bill delivered large tax cuts to the wealthy while raising costs for the lower 50 percent and cutting health subsidies.
Outside Spending Replaces Community Campaigning
- Outside spending now dominates campaigns, disconnecting candidates from voters and reducing public events like town halls.
- About 75% of campaign spending comes from outside groups, fueling ads instead of community-rooted campaigning.