I mean, you can't reasonably hold a popularity contest for representation, period. This electoralists system is intrinsically flawed in that it only will ever appeal to the lowest common denominator and, as you stated, is readily manipulated by those who benefit from the intentional spread misinformation in order to exploit that aspect of the system.

As you said, our government needs to be restructured to resist corruption. You accomplish that by doing away with hierarchy in favor of horizontal structures where the power of authority comes from the bottom up, not from the top down. This is why I am a proponent of Anarchist political theory. Everyone should read Kropotkin's Conquest of Bread at least once.

Again, I really must emphasize this point, power does not corrupt. Corrupt people seek power. There is a difference.

Money is simply a tool that gives people power. Give a million to a good person and it would be gone within a week as they would spend it to better themselves and those around them. Give a million to a corrupt person and they will use it to acquire more, because the corrupt crave the power that money gives them.