re: killjoy
I've noticed a distinct pattern in attitudes about government spending. Spending money on Their Stuff is criminally wasteful. However, the tune changes when you are spending government money on My Stuff.
The fact that everyone has a different idea of what constitutes My Stuff and Their Stuff is what makes politics the fun sideshow that it is. Too bad the money comes out of my hide and that of every other productive citizen.
I've noticed you haven't even made the connection between preventing impact events (something you consider a legitimate expense) and the space program.