http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2013/05/nih-detail...Already funded grants are getting cut ~20% across the board. There is a ton of cuts going on right now to the NIH budget, google it and take a look.
This has been happening for years now, trying to get an RO1 (large research grant) is becoming more and more difficult and it isn't helped by the constant changing in requirements.
Every other point I agree 100% with, the culture change has to happen. Nothing is impossible, and it just takes the right people to make the right things to happen. Everyone recognizes the problem, I can't tell you how many times I hear people complaining about the same problems over and over. The problem is that they aren't taking action, and with no action, nothing is going to take place. While there are many efforts in place (my project being one of them, http://omnisci.org), they need to be implemented properly.
The same rule of startups applies to science. The ideas/concept means nothing with proper execution.
While the culture change may be slow, the academic world is having a really hard time keeping up. NIH is also fighting to stay afloat. I have a few friends who work as program officers and they really have a negative outlook on the future of research funding.