I largely agree with your assessment Bensonhurst. But there's an excellent reason why you get five years today (unless its heavy drugs), and don't worry about getting clipped!
There is literally ZERO left to do! Limited gambling? Limited shylock? Big fucking deal. And the wiseguys are scared to fucking death to clip somebody. Guys are NOT dying because they found religion or didn't do wrong. Guys are not getting clipped because the bosses are scared they'll get pinched for a murder if they clip someone. (and believe you me when I tell ya that there's a ton of guys who deserve to get clipped, and years back would have gotten clipped). But its become a "kinder and gentler" Mafia today out of necessity. So sad, but so fucking true!
Thats why you got these fucking mutts, these fucking hard-ons (and I gotta call them fucking mutts and hard-ons) "rats" who walk around today in New York with no fucking fear of getting hurt. They start up podcasts, give interviews and have become media darlings, start up known businesses, dine in public restaurants in the wide open, and fraternize with the general public like they're fucking heroes without any fear of reprisals. But they are not heroes of course. They're fucking zeros!
PS: And as far as the "black market" goes and the "vices" that Cosa Nostra serviced for over a century in this country. I agree. Even legalized pot is heavily taxed. Gambling winnings are heavily taxed. So there will always be somewhat of a "market" for people looking to save a buck. The problem is that the footprint of the mob has been diminished to such as degree that providing these few services cannot, and will not, sustain the thousands of wiseguys out there as the "underworld" once did.
A few hundred? Maybe? But New York's' Five Families? With over a thousand members, and several thousand "associate-proposed members," and another ten thousand outer-ring loose "associates?" NO WAY!
My friends in NYC are sucking wind right now (good friends). Imagine five years from now? Imagine ten years from now? At this very minute for every one guy who is "well heeled" you got thirty to forty broksters (or near brokesters)...And THAT'S no bullshit either! Thats straight from the horses mouth! (I kid you not!)
