I am absolutely not familiar with NASA's budgeting and like anything else, they most likely over budget than under budget.

Additionally, I (we?) don't know how much does it realy cost to sent a manned vehicle from earth to space for X number of days but with all I have seen and read about the program as a whole, the investment is huge

Worth it? not worth it? it is a debate that can go on for a long time

If Americans were somewhat convinced that this is an improper way to spend their tax money, I assure you, that a candidate for presidency would have picked it at some point and declare "read my lips - no more throwing money on the useless space program" and the crowd would cry "here here".

As someone who lives here currently, I sense that most of the folks I encounter are pro space program (well, they grew up with it all/most of their lives)

What they choose to do with their money is their issue. We can argue that the funds could have gone to more nobel causes such as world hunger etc. but the bottom line is it is their money and right now it is launched into space.

On a personal level I agree with them for reasons I mentioned in prior comments.

much like you become cinic when you run out of sound arguments

I do not see being part of a concensous (if at all) something to indicate a flaw or a problem

Not much of a "sound argument" though, is it? And yet, you spent over half of that message touting it as though it was the bee's knees.