I would say the opposite. To me NASA is a sense of great national pride. There is no doubt in my mind that NASA has the finest space programs in the world (robotic probes and man-in-space). One of the greatest achievements in the history of mankind was undertaken in a heroic fashion by this agency and yet you still question it's legitmacy?
It amazes me how many people would like to kill all science and exploration programs, living in the New World! Fortunately, smarter minds will keep the important exploration objectives of NASA alive. Bush was wise in deciding to have NASA plot a trip to Mars: it will change our world (for less than 1% of the US budget).