Well you and Wanderlust are currently assuming that people that the government has hired can't be exploratory in their innovation.
Hardly, thats not what i am saying anyway. Its who is in control and how much control of funding. If the head of the program or anyone above that does not like it, you can forget about it. If a private company starts to become too complacent it will start to fail.
SpaceX has scientists and engineers too. I am pro all guys, we need them both.
Since when have private companies spawned "crazy new ideas"?
Every company starts off as a crazy new idea. Don't forget the classics like Ford.
SpaceX is developing their single craft to pinpoint land on any body on the solar system. Elon Musk(CEO) who has a degree in engineering has also stated he plans to open the door for millions of colonists to Mars. Crzy new ideas. Musk is a crzy independent scientist.
Note that most of the innovations comes from when the company and industry is new. The older and bigger it is the more bureaucratic it is. But giants like Apple and IBM still show their ability to innovate.