re: Agreed.
Robotic advances will continue with or without the Hubble mission. If we can't make hubble much better than it is now (that is promise an exponential gain in the scientific returns already generated) then the money should/would be better spent on other projects (such as the next generation of space telescope or a replacement shuttle design).
Anyone notice that even space hardware somehow gets addicted to the welfare state?
Hubble has been a great project despite its many flaws. But we must at some point put it behind us and start looking beyond: To the future...
Scott Evil