Joe Russo actually makes a lot of solid points. I'm from the area and there really is more to what's going on out here besides what you read in indictments. No offense Tommy Gambino but the Feds aren't the end all be all on knowledge of activity. Not to mention they're opening a casino smack in the middle of all these connected areas joe Russo mentioned, and connected guys have already been reported making money off the land deals with the developers.
So although things will never be as they were when Ray Sr and Gerry A were running things, to dismiss the region as nothing but "junkies and rats" shows how much you don't know. Just saying, there's more to it than what you read online.