Valuing short term goals over long term goals is how you get into a vicious cycle of poverty and stagnation. What people might not understand is that the long term goal isn't necessarily more expensive than the value you get out of it. Going to space sounds really "difficult" compared to something "basic" like solving water problems except it ignores that going to space might just be a matter of spending money whereas solving water would require solving political problems. The solution might be easy but it cannot be bought with money.