Actually, I agree with you that this is kind of how it works. My point is simply this: the headline number for "military spend" includes a great deal of funding

Actually, I agree with you that this is kind of how it works. My point is simply this: the headline number for "military spend" includes a great deal of funding for research: https://www.aaas.org/programs/r-d-budget-and-policy/historical-trends-federal-rd https://www.aaas.org/programs/r-d-budget-and-policy/historic... No, I don't believe this is a great system. On the other hand, consider that if research spending weren't under this guise, would popular support for research allow for the funding to exist at current levels, much less increased ones? Given understanding of the average American of basic science, that would be a stretch (to put it mildly). Perhaps having researchers write a few extra paragraphs in grant proposals isn't so bad after all.