The question, I think, is “how many alternative theories were dismissed by no funding?”
IF there was other people asking for funding for other topics or theories were dismissed because “strings are cool” then I expect some explanation. And boy there were other theories and projects asking for funding!
Do not read "the system is perfect" or even "good" from my post. I'm focusing only on the claim from the post above that there is "zero accountability". The people accountable are everyone in the chain I described and the whole thing hinges on people that ultimately answer to elections.