When one may pay out over two million dollars to presidential and Congressional campaigns, the U.S. government is virtually up for sale.

Gardner is warning that large-scale private spending in federal elections corrodes democratic legitimacy by creating the appearance—and often the reality—of unequal access and influence. If a single donor can contribute (directly or indirectly) sums in the millions, elected officials may become dependent on wealthy patrons rather than broadly accountable to voters. The phrase “virtually up for sale” underscores that even without explicit bribery, the incentives of fundraising can distort policy priorities, weaken public trust, and turn representation into a marketplace where political attention is allocated by financial power.