You will have to forgive me for not following this subject as closely perhaps as I should, but it seems to me that if the current problem is that there are more aircraft flying into an ARTCC than the fields can handle and the controllers are being overwhelmed, doesn't it make sense to try to address the issue where it begins.... at the VA's? I don't know that anyone will be happy if the VA's are told they only get so many slots, but with membership climbing I don't see any other action that we can take short of actually creating a slot system.
Now that probably wouldn't solve the problem, at least not at first. But as the pilots get used to using it it may eventually catch on. I am sure it could be done without creating more work for the local ARTCC's. Of course I am also sure someone must have thought of this already, so has it been tried?