Here is why monopolized mainstream media (five conglomerates control 90% of all media) is able to manufacture consent and why politicians and money they get from lobbyists and their hired-gun consultant class are able to influence and manipulate not only elections but opinion.
The first step is control who makes the laws by limiting the vote using several voter suppression tactics, the drug war, attacks on citizenship (immigration) and producing a growing an increasingly ill-informed uneducated electorate.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/06/illiteracy-rate_n_3880355.html
The second step is to keep those who do vote divided into only two political parties (or, as Gore Vidal once described it: two political parties with one right wing). Essentially, America is a good cop (D) vs. bad cop (R) duopoly.
The media intensely highlights guns, god and gay issues to supposedly demonstrate a difference between the two parties. However, issues related to defense, banking, oil, labor, agriculture, education and health care, etc. often are legislated under the radar supported by enough members of both political parties.
Sports and Hollywood hero worshiping also play important roles in morning and evening local-national news cycles. This dominates time which otherwise could be used for informing and educating the public. Some call it the "dumbing down of America." This is a correct assessment!
Also note televised networks carry the same featured news stories and daily print media often takes its lead from the Washington Post, New York Times or syndicates like AP and Reuters. Then there are the weekly or monthly journals which shape and consolidate the desired effect. Propaganda excels. America's news outlets slashed investigative journalism budgets and have eliminated all watchdog eye ombudsman positions. The media no longer covers the news, it controls the news!
https://steemit.com/journalism/@michaelweddle/the-search-for-solid-information-in-a-fake-world
This explains why America has the leadership it does. The system rigged so it perpetuates itself. Congress sports a 15% favorable rating but sees a 95% re-election rate. Had Hillary Clinton won in 2016 and gotten re-elected in 2020, America would have seen a Bush or a Clinton in the White House for nine of 11 presidential terms. What kind of democracy is this?
Sick of this, Americans tried very hard to elect an outsider into the White House. But our choice set became fixed on a multi-millionaire warmonger or a billionaire warmonger. Yes, we are dumbed down so as to allow this happen!
Do yourself -- all of us -- a favor and vote against almost all incumbents in the 2018 primaries and then vote out GOPwingers who clearly are the worst of the two evils!