Thanks for experiences & balanced views.
What struck me in latest WSJ article, and has also been mentioned above, is that apparently it isn't the FAA that sets the technical qualifications for employees who are named as designees and it is Boeing approving their appointments. And the limits on designees talking directly with FAA inspectors while being delegated by the FAA.
My biggest question is where are the rulemakers that pushed / approved these "streamlining", effiency improvements? In consecutive FAA re-authorizations this was pushed further and further, well into 2017. Everybody was fully aware.
And even the congress GAO was cheering the certification developments all the time. Putting pressure on FAA to make sure EASA wouldn't double check, seen as a waste of time, hurting the industry competitiveness.
GAO summary:
https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/683650.68365M
More detailed (19 pages):
https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/683649.pdf