Can you have genuine representative government in a land where a route to self enrichment lies through a "successful" political career.

A genuine representative government is the real American dream which if it isn’t realised as intended will become the American nightmare. You are ruled by an aristocracy of billionaires and if you are happy with that you shouldn’t be. The extent to which big money is intertwined with politics is failing your citizens and has become a disgrace. This goes beyond party politics which is itself part of the problem.

The short answer is of course “no” but I can see situations where that need not be the case.

Can you envision a “situation” in THIS country where that might ever be the rule as opposed to very much the exception?

Money and business interests aside a genuine representative government is impossible when a few hundred people are tasked with speaking on behalf of hundreds of millions.