Now, if we ever have to go against the Chinese (or for that matter a country that has some modicum of real capability) then it would make sense for the Spirit to have such a low readiness level (after all they have to make sure that it's VLO nature is at tip-top shape). However the US hasn't faced a competent military in several decades now. The Iraqis in the first Gulf War 'performed' better than they did this time, but they were still woefully inadequate to deal with the US; and the Yugoslavian Clinton debacle did show that those guys could come with ingenious stratagems, such as using clever camouflage to make black plastic look like roads and bridges from above, using microwaves to simulate radar sites, and making us think we bombed hundreds of tanks when the real number was far lower ......but the result was still the same, namely a curb-stomping by Uncle Sam.
We haven't faced a really competent and capable enemy in a long time, with China being the only one that has potential (in the future) to being significantly more capable than the various nations we have had to spank.
Ask the F-117 pilot who got SAM'd.