We'll have to just agree to disagree :) We simply have different philosophies; you're a perfectionist whereas I'm an incrementalist. We both have life experiences and probably personality traits that lead us to our differing preferences.
In my view, "partial solutions piled on partial solutions" is just life as a human being, where the alternative to that is not perfect solutions with no piling required, but rather no solutions. And yes, it is just like software, where incrementalism is also the better approach, in my view.
> proponents of the quick fix will claim that the 'do it right' folks are actually saying we should do nothing.
We don't think you're actually saying we should do nothing, just that it's the common end result, despite your best intentions.
And in the sphere of politics in particular, I think well-meaning people who really do want better solutions are often used by more cynical people who really do want to do nothing, for their own ends. Like the tax software industry lobbyists, in this case. Or like how old school environmentalists often find themselves aligned with fossil fuel industry lobbyists when it comes to building renewable or nuclear power generation, or transmission lines.
I don't begrudge people their dislike of partial solutions, I just don't subscribe to the same strategy.