Ive never voted and Ive been eligible for a really long time. Never thought the prez had any power he's just are panem et circenses, all government and news is. He or she is used to distract us for the good of the individuals who might profit and sometimes all though very rarely what some might consider the good of keeping society stable.
We have enough freedom as a individual to seek more freedom but it is unlikely we can enact universal freedom across the spectrum given the current rules of the game. I plan to be one of those rich profiteering bastards (my words not yours) You speak of. Maybe from there I can change the world for the better but I have no hope that a politician will do much more for us then maintain the status quo.
To change the world you don't really need to become rich (but it may help): just give your own contribution, and when everybody will, the world will be changed.
Being rich allows me a greater chance at success. I have some strategies for long term societal engineering. It requires money. If I wait for everybody else to contribute then I fall back into the trap of the bureaucracy. Remember folks Kings move faster then elected officials any day of the week.