What a great post, I agree 100%, I might even take you up on the offer, once I've got the next month of mainstream work out of the way (exam marking starts this week)... although making sensible proposals for change is a time consuming business, it's so much better than ranting!
There are several witnesses out there such as @timcliff and @lukestokes who seem to be doing research and actively working to make proposals to fix things, which is an encouraging sign.
Two of the most mature witnesses that get the game plan! Put a plan together when you have a chance. I will back a good idea with a reasonable presentation. :)