Money and politics. These two institutions have been intertwined for years, to the benefit of the richest citizens among us, leaving countless numbers of citizens feeling disenfranchised and forgotten.

But where and how did this begin?

One of my first lessons on money in government was via George W. Plunkitt of Tammany Hall, the infamous Democratic political machine of New York City. According to “Plunkitt of Tammany Hall” by William Riordon, Plunkitt simultaneously held four offices in the 1870s while collecting salaries from three of them. He was a strict believer in what he called “honest graft,” political contributions that he deemed necessary for the successful progress of New York government. This could include any number of shady activities including bribing both voters and fellow public officials. Plunkitt would give people jobs if they promised to vote for him and his party in the upcoming elections.

Of course, that was ages ago. Politicians hold themselves to a much higher standard now, right?

Wrong.

Even today, thanks to the exponential rise in lobbying on Capitol Hill over the past few years and the repercussions of Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, private money is nearing complete control of Washington. According to the Huffington Post, politicians spend upwards of twenty hours a week frantically fundraising in order to meet quarterly goals. Even Lyndon B. Johnson, the man who some call the greatest senator of all time, was accused of regularly taking and giving bribes to force his way.

No wonder they don’t have time to read bills.

According to OpenSecrets, during the 2012 election cycle more than $700 million was spent by Super PACs alone. That’s $700 billion spent by the Koch brothers or George Soros toward influencing you and I with inaccurate attack ads — $700 billion that would be better spent on something else. If that’s not enough, the Super PACs don’t even have to report who donates to them. This can lead to more of what George Plunkitt would’ve called “honest graft.” If the majority of your campaign budget is coming from an ultraconservative news czar such as Rupert Murdoch, you are going to place his opinion over the opinions of your everyday constituents.

There’s no way around it. This is wrong.

I think with this many clear signs of corruption, all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, can agree that something needs to change. Our elected officials work for the people, not rich donors such as Soros or the Koch brothers.

But how can we shift this paradigm? After all, this is how things have been for years. It seems almost an insurmountable task for the average citizen to take on gigantic rich conglomerates. However, movements like Occupy Wall Street have shown that populist movements still have the power to change the course of American politics for the better.

So here’s what you and I can do.

Start by calling your state senator and asking him/her what their position on campaign spending is. Who are their top donors? Remember, these politicians are employed by you. If they dodge the question, it’s time to put the heat on. The only reason that money hasn’t been taken out of politics yet is because politicians and corporations haven’t had a large movement of the people successfully go after them to retake our democracy from the hands of those who wish to bend it to their will. The No. 1 concern of all politicians is re-election. If you and I put pressure on their chances of that, they will go to great lengths to appease the will of the people.

It’s only with steadfast, gradual change that great things come about, and the war against money in politics will be the same way.