Too big a problem to ever really fix. Politicians and their cronies who stand to benefit from the shenanigans will never wake up one day and go "ya know, we better start acting responsibly" They know theres a shit storm coming eventually, but they dont really concern themselves with when it will happen, or how it will happen. All they care about is that THEY have gotten their share of the stolen goods, and that they are no longer the ones in charge when the SHTF.
Thats why I think it will happen very quickly. Everyone will kick the can down the road so the next guy has to deal with it, until they cant kick it down the road anymore. Once that happens, there will be nowhere to go, nothing to prop up. The house of cards will fall quickly, just like any house of cards does.
Have you ever pulled a card out of the bottom row of a house of cards and see it slooooowly collapse? Theres a good reason that you haven't. Thats because it is built on bullshit, with no real sound foundation.
Its hard to say how long they can keep the game going though. Thats the hard part to answer.
Lets just hope that when a change does come, that people wont be clammoring for just another big government answer to the problem(which they probably will be clammoring for, because thats how the majority rolls) saying "ok, we'll get it right THIS time....... promise"
I dont know. I just got home and im tired and hot and cranky. Maybe im full of shit. The air-con feels good right now though.