What democracy? In letter or spirit or both or neither?

Politicians are borne of the people who let them come to power, stay in power and get away with mostly acting in their (politician's) best interest. Over time, power concentrates in the hands of those who have have it and can muster the resources to keep growing it. Eventually becoming the face of the people and the country. That's my cynic's view of democracy. Not that I know of a better system. Yet.

That's the right thing to expect and require! But we cannot be surprised if a country that was behaving in one way in year X is behaving in a radically different way a few years later. As you say, a country is run by humans (note the plural) but many of its accomplishments or errors are done by part of that population, not necessarily sharing the vision and ideals of the whole population.

How is it that this democratic ideal has failed to deliver on many of these things, of late? To be sure, some are content with what government has brought to their lives in some areas, yet the complaints remain. Are our democratic systems failing to actually represent us, or are they delivering as-expected...or both?

True , but these days, democracy : "Buy"/by the people , "Far"/for the people , "off"/of the people