Yes, yes! Your comment actually clarifies my point. I'm not saying money touched by the government gets evil magic attached to it that corrupts everything. I'm saying government money is allocated badly and corruptly by default. Except, America does a much better job, why?
In America these privately owned universities use their own money to hire the best people. Private money does an infinitely better job of selecting the best people than government money.
Then the government notes the historical success of these private institutions and sends funding their way, which the excellent individuals they chose can use to create excellent research. This system has made America produce orders of magnitude better science than the rest of the world put together.
My point is that the question of how the government can best direct money has already been solved. Let the private sphere decide who is the best.
In America these privately owned universities use their own money to hire the best people. Private money does an infinitely better job of selecting the best people than government money.
Then the government notes the historical success of these private institutions and sends funding their way, which the excellent individuals they chose can use to create excellent research. This system has made America produce orders of magnitude better science than the rest of the world put together.
My point is that the question of how the government can best direct money has already been solved. Let the private sphere decide who is the best.