Maybe instead of hiring private contractors to invent new propulsion systems and then conceal them from the public good, we should give some of our ~$600 billion military budget to these agencies.
By traditional indicators the US is broke. Debt to GDP is at historic crisis levels, debt service is eclipsing the military budget (though I didn't check if that includes the spending for the war in Ukraine) and it is unclear where the oomph to pay for retirees will come from. The main thing optimists seems to be pinning their hope on is that the authorities can print money and it will all turn out OK.<p>What is the conversation around science funding meant to look like? Spending money on productive investments is a great idea, but the practice of the US government is nowhere near that.