Regardless of the stated opinion of the IETF and its participants, there is a culture in the IETF of resistance to operational opinion. The DHCPv6 vs RA debacle is a direct consequence of this and a good example of both the problem and the serious consequences which ensue when one side doesn't listen.
some ietf ops participants have been fighting this for years, not always successfully. but recently, the ops within the ietf community have been banding together a bit more. the win rate is not a lot higher, but at least we can share the pain. :) your characterization of the dhcpv6 issue as a debacle is understated. it's flat out st00pid and insane, and loses ipv6 non-trivial market share. the religious fools have moved to the mentality that v4 scarcity will force ipv6 deployment and they don't have to compromise their ivory tower zealotry. they are bringing nats of all flavors on themselves. this would be fine if the rest of us did not also get the dren. randy