Regarding the closing lines, focusing so specifically on stock buybacks is looking in the wrong place. Intel's goal was to give the money to the shareholders. Currently the most tax advantaged way to do that is with stock buybacks. If you pass some law that prevents buybacks they will just give the money to the shareholders in the next most tax advantaged way.

The only hope seems to be as they've done, hire on a CEO more concerned with innovtion than stock price. At least I hope this is what they've done.