[snugs]

The biggest problem with East Germany was that no investment had been made with the factories in the East and they were in such a terrible state companies who wanted their old factories back did not realise until they had them what a mess they had.

To bring them up to modern standards would have too much for too little return hence many were closed and then people were out of work and into the welfare system hence more drain on Germany.

In addition to that jobs that were available were low paid ones which some of the east Germans would probably have taken but were already taken by immigrant turks so all in all a total economic mess in what had previously been one of the strongest economies certainly in Europe if not worldwide.

[Morgan in Denver]

The biggest problem is one of political philosophies. Refusing to either eliminate or reduce the welfare state is the main problem with the EU. Someone has to pay for it and continued excessive socialism is killing growth and productivity. Many people in the EU damn capitalism, a market economy and the US, but it's exactly these things that help keep America out producing what the EU is capable of doing. It's like a yo-yo. The EU sanctions more capitalistic process until it's big enough to tax, and then the governments start taking the profits for social programs and the industry starts suffering.

[Txsleuth]

Oh, dang, you mean Germany has the same problem as we do?

The ole, "we have jobs that Americans don't want to do ploy, in order to keep the borders open"?

Gosh, maybe we could get a ship from Mexico to Germany!