100 hundred percent. At the expense of taxpayers I fully support that statement, without the sarcasm. Of course 'conservatives' no longer support limited government and instead support their pet projects. Thank God the Wright brothers didn't rely on government funding, else planes would probably not have been invented until 20 years ago.
You don't get it. IMHO, the vitality and future of our nation absolutely without question rides on both big and little science. Much that is Gov funded BTW. You don't think that the Gov had a role in aircraft developement?