Well in CN you had families from Denver to Florida. How much did they share in common? But they were both a mafia family obeying the same rules and membership.
Exactly the same as a blood gang from Idaho to Alaska. Both obey the same rules and obide by the same membership.
Why is one considered a national syndicate and not the other?
Well, back when the LCN was national in scope, those families had strong enough connections with each other that leaders from all around the country could meet at Appalachin. You had a Commission that had national clout over all the families for half a century.
What does a Blood gang in New Jersey have to do with another in LA? Usually nothing. They have the same "gang culture" but often no direct connection. It's why it's easy for a given gang to have tens of thousands of members and be in several states coast to coast. But, in reality, it's various separate gangs that happen to use the same name, colors, etc. All sharing the same brand, you could say.
As for comparison to cartels in Mexico, as I've often said, a better one would be the Italian OC groups in Italy. They have the kind of money, manpower, and scope that rivals the cartels. The LCN in the US is a regional phenomenon at this point.
