The 30+ years hasn't been a complete waist.
No matter what direction the program goes, we've learned much over the last 30+ years that will have many applications to the future programs.
Sure mistakes have been made along the way, and much of the technology might in retrospect seem to be dead end...But keep in minf that even dead end technology seems to always find new ways to be incorporated into emerging technologies.
Its all part of the learning curve.
The saddest thing isn't that the technology has grown stagnent, but that the vision itself seems to have been lost along the way.
Lets keep the ball rolling on the vision, and get these manned programs moving forward again.