[contemplator]

Please consider these points; it was not just bureaucratic power.

Thanks for your insights. I think I understand your position. When I talk about the state party buracracies, my emphasis is more on the word 'party' than 'beauracracy'. The 'bureaucracy' I'm referring to isn't pencil pushing civil servants, I'm referring to the politcal party machines. I lay out my position a little more clearly in post 39 of this thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2299341/posts

[Loud Mime]

Then we see things alike, but may be describing differing shades of the same color.

My point has been that the political parties have replaced the States in the Senate’s influence mechanisms.