'Scale To Fit Media' As Default?

Can't Adobe at least put "Scale to fit media" higher up on the print menu, so we don't have to scroll down every time?

No.  You have to check it on for each image. Each image already has default ppi metadata.

File > Print's "scale to fit media" checks whatever paper size you have loaded in your printer and makes a custom ppi for the Photoshop Print dialog. It won't touch the file ppi:

This what the Photoshop Print dialog does when I check "Scale to fit media"  I then have to select "Done" or "Print" to keep it checked on.  Again, only Photoshop will read it when I print.

So the Photoshop print ppi is 232, but outside Photoshop 72 ppi is what other apps read.

Which brings up an old analogy when people complain the file has no problem printing outside of Photoshop. The Ps Print dialog will sometimes hit driver bugs other Print dialogs won't.

"Just because traffic is running smooth on I-280, doesn't mean Highway 101 should not have any problems either."