As far as the witness selection goes, I don't think we, (the users), have a say in the matter at all. As you pint out currently there is one large stake holder than can heavily influence the top 20. So as a user I see the witness situation the same way I see the down vote issue, a broken system that for what ever reason people are not interested in seeing fixed.

Pumpkin or Justin, does it really matter which one picks the witnesses?