Why can't the greatest nation have the greatest space program?

They have killed the shuttle which was a big mistake as Glenn & many other experts agree.

Now you would think Congress would get behind Commercial Crew which the USA desperately needs with the shuttle in a museum which I will never understand.  NASA 's percent of GDP is less than .5.  Welfare spending is 6% of GDP and goes up every year while NASA's percent goes down every year and the number of poor/needy goes up yearly.
Seems to me there must be an end coming in the increase in the deficit, if not things may get bad.  Doesn't seem people are too concerned about the mess.  Maybe they will one of these days.

This brings up the obvious question, why can't the greatest country on earth have the greatest space program?

Just like the deficit, this neglect of space capability (deficit in space capability ) , both situations will " come home to roost".   If Congress collectively can't get something done, really bad times are approaching. There should be enough D's and R's with some common sense to get something done on both the deficit and space capability.  Guess that isn't the case.