It was very expensive, but IMHO still the right choice. What were they supposed to do? The east is still weak (except maybe Berlin), mainly due to a lack of big

It was very expensive, but IMHO still the right choice. What were they supposed to do? The east is still weak (except maybe Berlin), mainly due to a lack of big corporations, chased away into the western parts by the soviets. At least the gap is not widening, but its also not really closing either. It will take many decades. Luckily we have some federalism to counteract some of Big Country malaise (unlike FR or UK).