Generally, year in review pieces are by definition a snapshot of people and events from the year gone by. But some news stories are not readily confined to a calendar year. They have repercussions that will be felt for months or years to come. As 2010 turns into 2011, DFM News asked a handful of political observers to reflect on the political year gone by. Today, they weigh in with their thoughts, submitted via email, on what story from 2010 will have the greatest impact in the coming years.
[caption id="attachment_3635" align="alignnone" width="130" caption="Charlie Copeland"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/copeland.jpg[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3635" align="alignnone" width="130" caption="Chuck Durante"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/chuck_durante.jpg[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3636" align="alignnone" width="130" caption="John Flaherty"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/flaherty.jpg[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3637" align="alignnone" width="130" caption="Michael Fleming"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/fleming.jpg[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_3647" align="alignnone" width="130" caption="Prof. Sam Hoff"]https://www.wdde.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/hoff.jpg[/caption]
What story from 2010 is likely to have the the greatest impact in the coming years?
"While either Senator Coons or Congressman Carney could have an impact in the future, I don't expect either one to have large roles in Washington for a number of years. In Washington, seniority counts, and our two freshman legislators have no seniority. The story with the largest impact will be the changes in corporate law contained in Dodd/Frank as well as Delaware's increasing inability to attract business. It is important to note that the Delaware Department of Finance wrote in 2007 that the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act had negatively affected Delaware's Corporate Franchise Tax receipts. This "nationalization" of Delaware law will continue, especially with the increasing need for Washington to "find revenues."
—Charlie Copeland, former state senator and 2008 GOP candidate for Lt. Governor
“The collapse of Wilmington Trust as an independent lending institution will reverberate. The bank’s sale at one-tenth of its 2007 stock price is expected to lead to the loss of hundreds of jobs in Delaware. Some well-informed pessimists project the job loss to exceed 1,000. Delaware will continue to be a major center of financial activity, but yet another economic anchor, where 30-year careers were the norm, has been diminished."
—Chuck Durante, Attorney; Fmr. Parliamentarian, Delaware State Democratic Committee
“The economic emergence of China. Low wage Chinese labor has attracted thousands of blue collar industries to relocate to eastern China. China has attracted not only American industries to relocate to China but also many industries from developing countries such as Mexico. Chinese industries are producing and selling goods to the U.S. and other western countries that has result in a huge trade surplus. A good portion of that trade surplus has been reinvested in U.S. government bonds. With the U.S. debt over $10 Trillion dollars, we are relying more and more on the Chinese to purchase the bonds that finance our debt. It is not a good situation. It is fraught with perils for our economic and government independence.”
—John Flaherty, Delaware Coalition for Open Government president
“As mentioned before, the impact of the 2010 US Senate campaign on Delaware politics is still unfolding. Beyond that story, federal investigations into DelDOT land deals in Sussex County are bound to create interesting fallout in the days ahead."
—Michael Fleming, New Castle County Republican Party chair
“A tie between Delaware’s newly elected officials and the slavery apology resolution passed by Dover City Council. In the former instance, the state’s new U.S. House member and U.S. senator will obviously hope to make an impact onstate and national politics through their service. In the latter case, the momentum and precedent exist for the Delaware General Assembly to follow the Dover City Council’s lead and issue a resolution apologizing for the state’s role in the practice of slavery. Once that is accomplished, it is certain that education programs and tourism focusing on antebellum Underground Railroad activities in Delaware will follow."
—Sam Hoff, Delaware State University political science professor