How about some way to get into orbit without hitching a ride with the Russians or Chinese?
That really is the most practical thing to be focusing on. It seems like either the crudest approach to orbit (rockets) or the most unfeasible (space elevators) are the only ones people are interested in though.
I think we’d have more success if we focused on spaceplanes, or rail launchers, or even dirigible launch platforms. All of those have big technical hurdles, but they could be achievable.