That seems incredibly short-sighted and self-defeating. We use public funds (aka taxes) to pay for basic research because it is a public good. A public good means something we all benefit from, by the way. For example, even though I don't drive, I continue to pay for roads with my taxes because I derive a lot of indirect benefit from them, such as groceries being delivered to the market I buy from. Likewise, even though I don't have children and would love to not pay taxes that go to schools I realize that having an educated populace is a benefit to me so I don't mind paying for it. Basic research is similar in that it rarely produces immediate, tangible results, but does contribute in many ways to the products and services that we do eventually see.

You may be correct, but that is really not relevant as she has never been a judge before. Would you advocate appointing as justices only those whom have never voiced an opinion before? That would limit the pool rather drastically, don't you think?