Hi BOAC;
I understand your frustration. But I think that most of us do give when ready <G>, when we can and it is minority who do not.
As to the descent. If I give you lower. I consider 500 fpm a float down. When I give a descent, I and many of us expect an aircraft to come down like it was the crews decision to come down <G>.
If I am getting you down, it is either for traffic, to miss some other airspace, procedural, or just trying to get you down where a 250 knot speed restriction means something <G>.
regards