You can work with the parties or vote at a local level. At the national level your vote feels infinitesimal because it is. You get 1 300 millionth a say in who the next President is, for example.

That's not really corruption so much as it is not having much of a say in who the national leaders are. As the other comment mentioned, corruption is more like having to pay bribes to the police at traffic stops, bribes to get government services, etc.

In some countries, if I were stopped by the police I'd fully expect and try to "Can I pay the fine here?" In the US I'd fully expect that trying to do so would get me worse legal trouble.

Corruption is world wide, no doubt, but it doesn't occur with the same frequency worldwide.

Think bigger than what you see on the news please.

What you're describing is low level corruption. Now consider how many construction projects and government services are being 'outsourced' or 'privatized' and take wild guess how much money is ending up in the wrong pockets at that game. Not to mention the lack of quality control and general oversight that often comes along with it.

That's much worse than some traffic cops taking a cut or bribe. Which is also bad. But first the major corruption should be dealt with.

I wish my vote was 1 out or 300 million at a federal level. Due to the electoral college my vote in California is worth 1/3rd what someone in Wyoming's is worth.