Good points. I think Merlino has become more smarter, and will not spend that much time in Philly for a while as to not bring unwanted heat on the family. After his restrictions are up, he can do anything he wants, but I do not think he will endanger the family. LE will still be after him, so I think he will visit the city when he has to, then in a few years he will move back to philly when he thinks there is not that much heat on the family. This is my speculation on this.
But if he did stay in control from Florida I wonder if the family would start to resent that he isn't in Philly like how Bonanno went to Arizona and his family got mad with him for not being around.
"My uncle(Nicky Scarfo) always told me, you have to use your brains in this thing, and you always have to use the gun." -"crazy" Phil Leonetti-