There has always been and will always be hunger etc.
The X prize drew a lot of private investment in to the space industry so why not the search for ET.
Personally I dont trust that NASA would reveal the truth of any findings.
A private mission probe to Mars or Europa with $100 million prize is far more likely to get to the truth.
When I say alien life - I mean bacteria and up, not little green men running around anal probing earthlings

Alien probing is the only thing a few of us look forward to when the aliens come to say hello.
If they are not cross breeding or eating us,what else does that leave for them to come swing by!