RC Government Funding for Space Exploration Discussion

One rarely thinks of space exploration as an extension of government, but remember, one of President John F. Kennedy’s challenges promises to the nation was sending an American to the moon. 

Well recently, with the call to put an astronaut on Mars by President George W. Bush, and with the founding of SpaceX by Elon Musk, the discussion about space exploration has re-emerged.  I would like you to address the following debate.   What extent should the government use tax-payer dollars to fund space exploration?  Should we leave space travel up to the private sector, or should the government invest more NASA mission.  Perhaps there is a healthy balance between the two?  What are your thoughts.  

Below are some recent (and old) articles about this subject.  In addition, I have also linked a report that NASA contributed to about the benefits of space exploration, and a finding by the Congressional Budget Office suggesting how money could be spent elsewhere.