Are there aliens? Considering the estimated numbers of galaxies, stars within them, planets circling those and the possibilities of life to have formed there, I consider this quite likely. But will they consider seeking contact with us? Our civilization is far too divided to be a useful party to engage with. Any intelligent race would probably think twice before revealing themselves to us.
On the other hand, things seem to be moving in a better direction, with Elon Musk driving SpaceX into the era of reusable rocket technology, a feat that NASA never pursued. This bring spaceflight to a cost-effectiveness that will be required to put humans into space on a regular basis, rather than just the extremely rich.