And all we need to do is figure out cold fusion, and we'll have all the energy we'll ever need from seawater!
The problem is that in the process of writing laws, legislators cannot resist the temptation to add restrictions and requirements. Even if they resist the temptation in the initial effort, they have to continue to resist, every time they meet, indefinitely. This is not a realistic expectation.
Money is power to legislators. To simply give away the money without restriction means they are giving away their power. This simply cannot happen over the long haul. It is like asking an elephant to dance ballet.