Space exploration does not garner votes, raw science does not garner voters, and neither do they garner blue collar jobs. Politicians route money to where it buys them most influence. They rely on this money and positioning people against each other to maintain their standard of living. See, they are safe and the masses will stay in their irrational world grousing about the lack of change they do little to change.

They count on the irrational decision, the rally behind a thousand page health bill no one reads, the three hundred page net neutrality bill no one is allowed to read, and they make sure you don't want to by portraying the challenge to such as an affront to privilege and intelligent and we want to be considered both. After all, if they tell us its not smart to do otherwise well those who say otherwise must be wrong.

So they play the people off each other while they keep their backroom deals and move along merrily laughing at an electorate whose current concern is their internet connection so they don't miss the latest streaming movie.

Who needs space exploration when Game of Thrones is on.