Where is the country going to be a year from now? Based on what has happened during the past 12 months — greater government intervention and involvement in all our lives, the huge national debt, a Congress that doesn’t seem to pay attention to the wishes of its constituents, unemployment, dirty pressure politics in Congress and a Congress where members pass legislation without knowing what it calls for — what can we expect for the next 12 months?

It’s frightening as well as dangerous.

Why isn’t the public more concerned?

Five days before the 2008 presidential election, candidate Barack Obama told a get-out-the-vote audience, “We are five days away from fundamentally transforming” the United States.

It was a strong, powerful, perhaps arrogant message for that audience, as well as for the millions of others supporting Obama and his call for “change.”

It also was a warning to the rest of America.

“Change” can mean many things to different people. It’s likely most of those listening to the eloquently delivered messages of Obama hoped there would be some overdue changes for what they thought would be the better, but it is doubtful many of his listeners dreamed he would make the changes he has called for since moving into the White House.

We now have “czars” with immense power to bring about “change,” but there was no voting, hearings or confirmations of these individuals, only an appointment by Obama.

There appears to be no end to what Obama will call for to bring about the changes he thinks are necessary for the United States he envisions.

What he is changing is the American free enterprise, capitalist economic system. He has created a historic debt that will cost every American for years to come. He has taken control of major American companies. He is using every possible pressure tactic and threat to jam a revolutionary health care plan down the throats of Americans and he is committing billions of dollars in his climate-changing crusade without consulting Congress or the public.

Even more important, he is taking away centuries-old freedoms from American citizens.

What has happened to our congressional representatives? They approve legislation that their constituents oppose. They seem mesmerized by Obama’s eloquent elocution. They are spineless with no backbone or courage and they refuse to ask tough, penetrating questions or demand answers that would expose the phoniness of many of the president’s statements.

Time and time again, Obama claims this or that as fact, which later is proven to be false. Time and time again, he has broken promises he made during his campaign, and the media and the public let him get by with his deceit.

If he has been able to fool or deliberately deceive the public to this extent in his first year, what is in store for the country for the next year and the following two years?

The words socialism, nationalizing and redistribution are becoming more common as Obama and his handpicked czars seem intent on charging ahead to change the America that has been so successful, a world leader, the world’s most powerful and respected nation which offers a way of life that is the envy of the rest of the world.

Does he honestly think he can design a better country than what Americans have built over the last two centuries?

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Republican boosters suggest Obama’s many misdeeds, the breaking of promises, the national debt, the arrogance displayed by the president, the huge government invasion of this country’s private business sectors all will combine to make Democrats seeking election or re-election to Congress in 2010 far more vulnerable. They believe the GOP will pick up many seats in the U.S. House and Senate.

This could prove to be wishful thinking as Obama’s presidential campaign effort raised a record amount of money as well as capturing the names and addresses of millions of supporters. These supporters indicated they were enthused and ready to campaign for him and fellow Democrats in upcoming elections. They indicated they were ready to contribute money, as well as their time going house to house as they did in the 2008 elections. Also, many Democrats running in 2010 will have fiscal support from the millions of unspent dollars left over from Obama’s presidential campaign.

Obama’s “changes” may be just getting started and they could extend well into the next three to seven years. He is in command of a very powerful, very committed, well funded political crusade to change America.