Possibly. Read the history.
Again, vacuum tubes were NOT invented by the government, and without WWII would have undoubtedly been developed privately anyway.
Without the government's (Allied) need to crack enemy codes, the vacuum-tube computer and it's ilk would have taken much, MUCH longer to develop, if at all. For some reason you cannot grasp the meaning of this. If we were to wait for a private company to develop the technology, it becomes very likely that another country, using state funds, would develop it first. After all, why wouldn't they? They would either a: throw more money at it, or B: BUY the work from your ideal private company. Despite your beliefs, private industry is not ideally suited to every situation - technological dominance being one of them.
You are absolutely misled about universities. Examples of ridiculous programs (I know they exist, I think they are ridiculous) does not change the fact that the majority (vast) of tech universities and departments enjoy federal and state grants. If you are against these schools and departments getting the funding they need, then there is no need to debate with you any longer.
Who determines "need?" You, me, Kongress (ol' pork barrel), who? "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need," sound familiar? You may think some climatology program "needs" money. I may think that it's complete boondogle. Who then determines need - Majority? Consensus? The recipients of the largess? (ha ha ha)
then there is no need to debate with you any longer.
OK. we aren't going to agree anyway.