Actually, space exploration IS a social programme
All those workers for Lock martin and Boeing and all the other contractors, and the direct government employees in NASA are all in a job-for-the-boys-and-girls programme. It would be a rash President who cut those in order to give social welfare benefits to people who are NOT contributing to the economy.
It COULD happen, but I'd be surprised (and worried) if it did.
If that happened, space exploration would be the least of our worries - the whole fabric of society would be on its way to collapse, imho.