Shuttle mistake -- what should have been done?

Its grand to say that both space shuttle and Space station were
mistakes...but what would / should have been done instead knowing
what was
known at that time?

The Russians did the buran which didn't appear too much different,
although they did use liquid fuel that was throttle-able and also
had a
greater payload.... That's would seem at least to indicate that
there must
have been SOME merit in the over all concept to have a relative
duplicate
design by another countries agency...

O.k I'm going to be pummelled about for this -- but here goes ...

Having been to Russia and talking with engineers there -- they did a
lot of copying early on.
The original designs proposed (Industry, NASA)for space access after
Apollo included reusable liguid boosters.

We are so concerned about high costs of space access:
I ask:
What would it cost you to fly San Fran to New York if the airports
and launch facilities were operated by a large bumbling bureau and
the planes were thrown into the ocean after each sortie?
The shuttle is a politically designed entity to garner the votes
(spread the pork)necessary to continue and keep the Bureaucracy
alive. We ended up with the solid boosters. Adequate votes in
congress that way. Solids and manned launch should not be mentioned
in the same document.
Shep