SALA, I have to agree with you to a point.

I wouldn’t go so far as calling people “idiots”, but I agree about the pessimism. The unfortunate truth of this is that the people of Buffalo have earned their degree in the fine arts of pessimism through a life time of attendance at the school of hard knocks. Time and again we have been failed by the politicians, homegrown snake oil salesmen, and the out of town ne’er do wells that came falsely under the flag of hope for our beleaguered city, only to rape the public coffers when push came to shove. I sincerely do not believe Mr. Issa is defined by his vile predecessors and I sincerely believe he possesses a love and hope for the city and the projects he wants to complete here.

I think the personal attacks on him have been unfair; however, I completely understand the frustration those that make them are feeling. It’s a simple and desperate act to attack when things have hit a rough patch, or, God forbid, fail, just as it is easy to place inflated and unfair expectations on a “white knight” carrying a gun full of silver bullets. What SALA said above is quite true; Mr. Issa is working in an environment of generations deep hostility to undue the myriad of mistakes made by those that have come before.

Rome was not built in a day, just as the rebirth of the Statler and our fair city will take a fair measure of years.

Mr. Issa’s only misstep, thus far, has been his optimism magnified by his “cowboy/playboy” machismo – I only hope his enthusiasm is built on a foundation of extreme fortitude and patience. He is no more the savior many wish him to be than he is the inexperienced failure so many want him to be.

If he has the chops to last, I believe these projects will come to be and in those endeavors I only wish him the best.