At risk of sounding like a snob, most of this thread is kind of silly. I guess I'll break it down.
1) Fabricating claims is about as glorified as it would be in real life...which is not at all. However, something doesn't have to be glorified to be a legitimate, if under-handed, move to secure more power. I use the option in conjunction with claims to ducal titles and the like.
2) Anyone suggesting that modding the game to make it easier ISN'T cheating should really have themselves a moment of truth. Really? Not that I honestly care that much. It's your game, cheat or mod how you want. But if you go on to the game's forums and make some absurd post boasting about modding the game to make it easier for you then don't expect mad props. Which leads to...
3) Fabricating claims is therefore not "cheating" or copping out, it is using a legitimate game mechanic to expand. Modding the game to make it easier to fabricate claims, which can sometimes go bust or take a very long amount of time, IS cheating. Which, again, in a single-player game that's the player's business, until he goes onto the forums winking his way into a blissful, murderous, war-torn oblivion.
OP, I'm not sure why you remind me of a giddy crackhead who just got a new string of Christmas lights and can't stop turning them off and on, but really I think if you want to make a valid case this ;_) business could use a toning down. That's just some not-terribly-polite-but-hopefully-useful advice there.