Football can and would exist without subsidies. Spending public funds to support private industry is a bad economic decision. Funding space travel on the other hand is something that would not exist without public funds. So it's outside of the effecency debate.
Funding space travel on the other hand is something that would not exist without public funds. So it's outside of the effecency debate.
If activity X is to matter in people's lives, it needs to be scalable. To be scalable it needs to be profitable. Since the U.S. government does not operate on a profit motive, the spending on the space program will have as little long term impact as the Zheng He fleets. You should read this article: http://unenumerated.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-succeed-or-f...
It doesn't matter which entity signs the check, it all comes from the tax payers. If the feds weren't paying for the roads, the municipalities would. It's all the same.
“debating gladiator reform while Rome burns…”