There should be a special government office whose sole job is to identify ridiculous situations like this and be able to fast track a pragmatic solution. Maybe

There should be a special government office whose sole job is to identify ridiculous situations like this and be able to fast track a pragmatic solution. Maybe you could call them an arbiter - not because they arbitrate anything, but because they can act arbitrarily, that is, they have the power to make exceptions from the rule. A lot of people don't have faith in democracy and call for a "strong man" to take matters in his own hands. I believe if there was an office like this, we could take the wind out of their sails.