RE DK POST

"...That's why virtually all our institutions, from the federal government on down, are so much weaker than they were a half century ago...."

I do not believe this to have been the case. 
Rather, the contrary.

I believe the federal is stronger, than either the stronger states, or locals.

Of course, they are relatively somewhat stronger, in a weaker, globalized, environment, where all entities are weaker than they might otherwise have been.