The coverage of the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy last month emphasized his Massachusetts roots

The death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy last week has rekindled discussion of political dynasties.

We’ve come to expect political dynasties. They’re a fact of life in the U.S., perhaps even more than royal succession is in the modern UK.

The Kennedys. The Bushes. The Fords. The Rockefellers. If you define dynasty as families holding power for at least three generations, with living people of influence, these names rule.