Rasmussen Reports has some polling data on the status of the political scene after one year with President Obama. From the report:

The core promise made down the stretch to voters by candidate Obama was a pledge to cut taxes for 95% of all Americans. Now, more than 40% expect a tax hike and hardly anybody expects their taxes to go down. Not surprisingly, 74% of voters now view the president as politically liberal.

Just 33% believe the stimulus package has helped, and most opposed other economic initiatives including the takeover of General Motors and the cash-for-clunkers program. Among the priorities established by the president, voters consistently see deficit reduction as the most important but least likely to be achieved.

One of the really interesting stats is that 33% believe the stimulus package has helped. You can take the 33% to represent the number of people that are hard core Obama (Democrat) supports. If you look at all the economic numbers, an unbiased person will recognize that the stimulus hasn’t accomplished much other than to drive up the deficit. The one item has hurt the liberal agenda more than anything else. I will also say that George Bush was also aboard the “stimulus express”, so I don’t absolve him of responsibility.

The biggest factor affecting the economy over the next couple years is the expectation that taxes will be going up. You can bet that next year the Bush Tax Cut will be repealed an taxes will be going up. If (and more than likely when) the Health Care Reform legislation goes through, you will have additional business taxes (in the form of health insurance fee increases). Whether you agree with socialized medicine or not (I do not), the cost to those that have income will go up. All of this is making people and business save their money (or at least not spend it unless they need something). It’s very sad that people are now caught like a deer in a headlight. Uncertainty (or certainty of tax increases) will drive our economy in the wrong direction.

Expect the new bond issue to be rejected by the EBR parish voters. You don’t spend more when you are already in the hole (no matter how much it is needed).