Leaders impact is more on shaping the attitudes more so than setting legislations
Income inequality caused by globalization and technology has eliminated entire categories of jobs. Wealthy people with excess money to invest due to this aggregation of wealth at the top seeks to maximize their wealth by investing in more and more kinds of financial instruments to return generates. This in turn creates bubbles.
Cost of health care and college education continues to rise as corporate America continues to optimize its monetization engine.
Online media channel consolidation and structural deepening of algorithmic social media newsfeed (Facebook and Twitter) continues to drive polarization of views. The media is primarily geared towards eliciting a response so as to drive conversion rate instead of helping audience develop well rounded perspectives on social issues through holistic presentation of facts.