Earlier quoted context omitted.
How many people would have used their tax cuts to fund a wide area packet-switching network or space program?
There are tons of people and companies currently investing in these things. The venture capital industry in the US is huge, and in fact you’re writing this on a website run by one of its representatives. The US Government has surely invested in some beneficial research, but so did the private sector.
Yes, there are tons of people and companies currently investing in these things because earlier government investment proved those things possible. It would be irrational for a private company to invest time and money in something with knightian uncertainty.
The private sector is good with scale and incremental improvements. Quite bad with fundamental research.