Some research that is tremendously valuable to society generally, doesn't offer any immediate advantage to those who discover it.
We cannot expect private industry to fund that kind of research, but it still behooves us to fund it as a society.
Now it's easy to lampoon research that is obviously goofy, but seriously....do we always know what research will be useful and what won't?
I mean what was the immediate benefit of us learning that E=MC2?
Now try to imagine what industry (existing in the turn of the century) would have supported that frizzy headed thinker who came up with that WORTHLESS data point.
I think we should let Granny decide which research should be funded. She obviously has the best perception of what research will lead to valuable discoveries
Somehow I would trust Granny more than some government bureaucrat with an agenda.