Everybody complains about politicians. Everybody says they suck. Well, where do people think these politicians come from?

The Ivy League mostly, with honorable mention to Stanford, MIT, and the bigger state Universities.

But also, they tend to come from the nation's wealthiest families, or as personal friends and social relations of these ultra-wealthy elites.

they are elected by American citizens

We had a 44 year run during which a Bush or a Clinton was a leading contender for President (1976 - 2020). What do you do when your options are so limited? Hell, guys like Trump and Biden are the outliers.

Get down to the state and local levels, and you'll see much the same. Perennial incumbents from entrenched social circles cement themselves into power and promote their cronies to surrounding offices. Down in Texas, you can point to the tight-knit social circle of former Bush-Era cronies running the state as their own private fief. Opponents are subject to a litany of subversive tactics, ranging from vigilante harassment to criminal prosecution. Voting participation is deliberately suppressed through both legal and illegal means. And misinformation runs rampant in a press owned and operated by outspoken fascists.

To say people are just picking its leadership on perceived merits is plainly false.