I am all for looking for life
I am against letting the search for life drive the space program. And letting the finding or not-finding of it permit it to continue or kill it off.
It could be another "beat the Russians" kind of motivator. With 30 years of malaise to follow it.
I think we need to get Americans space-educated. I think we need them to be just as excited by a Mercury probe as a Mars probe. I think we are being lazy by taking the sensational/easy route to space funding.