Why wouldn't a similar "takeover" be possible in a PoS system? You really haven't addressed the parent's point.
It's exactly why the DAO hacker was censored -- they controlled more ETH than any single account in the system.
more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IT4s-6T__k
Now if we could make it Proof of Human, one vote, one person, non-transferable, that would be true distributed consensus. Even then you would get people buying votes with advertising as we see today in “normal” elections.
You're missing the energy part of the equation (opex), that is continuously required.
Please point me in the direction where I can find some of these free ASIC miners.....
Run your own full node,
easiest option: getumbrel.com