You're backpedaling and showing your ignorance.
Isn't it interesting that after all of those calculations, over half of all lease customers end up with a payment of $X99 / month. That's sure odd, isn't it.
Where is your source for this? Sure, the commercials quote -99/mo payments because it's good marketing. Altering the selling price and the cap cost reduction can make the numbers where you want them to be. But where do you get the idea that customers' payments end up being such? In fact, look at BMW's fine print for their 328i lease. The fine print even suggests that a "dealer contribution may affect terms," that is, the ad is already presuming a discount off the MSRP.
So where did you get your "over half" figure?
No, they start with the "value" of the car being full MSRP plus $800 for dealer rust spray and $400 floor mats.
So now you go from claiming the financial institution is ripping you off (which is false) to claiming the dealer is ripping you off - which you have the facts directly in front of you when you sign off on them. You're free to reject the rust spray and floor mats. So who's to blame for your mythical "lease ripoff?"
Could it be that the average American doesn't know what a good money factor is?
Most money factors are what they are, they aren't negotiable, and the institutions that let dealers mark up money factors have a cap to prevent fair lending lawsuits - typically 1 or 2 percent.
Maybe someone, somewhere, doesn't know how to compare a given mileage penalty to a straight purchase?
What does this even mean? Consumers don't know that they will have to pay more if they go over miles? The bank agreed to a purchase of a car in 3 years with X number of miles. If you return it with X+30,000 miles, you think they should have to honor the price?
Ever wondered why leasing companies, and only leasing companies, use ALG values, not NADA, KBB or anything else any US consumer would recognize?
NADA and KBB don't even offer residual percentages! They offer used vehicle values! Where do you get your information? And, by the way, KBB is balanced towards the dealer anyway. Ever wonder why most dealers can afford to sell their used cars at "BELOW KBB" prices?
ALG is the industry standard for lease rates. You're welcome to do the math on a 3 year old model's worth compared to what their current residuals are - many, MANY times you'll find that the captive banks (banks beholden to a manufacturer like Ford Motor Credit, BMW Financial Services, etc) inflate the residual in order to make leasing a better deal.
There is a reason most everyone in the auto industry leases their cars - they know the ins and outs of leasing, and they know it's a good deal. It's the misinformed "leasing is fleecing!" consumers that end up paying more in the long run, provided they have the buying habits of the majority of Americans - replacing their vehicle every 4-6 years.