Yes, New York Times recently had an editorial about this:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/op...%20away&st=cse

I have personally intervened with consular authorities to help friends who run into problems - beyond the onerous, complicated process, the people who administer the whole process -- from scheduling and conducting interviews to issuing visas, etc. are way beyond incompetent. Worse, they don't care that they are incompetent -- they believe they are doing you a favour by doing what they are paid to do.