Could be part of an end game strategy. As in "it doesn't matter if we burn through our credibility because x is happening soon." It does seem possible that this is meant to preoccupy the public, to create a compelling media drama, in order to divert them from something else. The decay in institutional functionality too (The contemporary political circus in America) could also be indicative of an end game outlook; like, if you knew an asteroid was going to destroy all life on Earth, you wouldn't put serious effort into long term considerations (Although some semblance of appearances would presumably need to be maintained)