20 Point Quiz on Obama Presidency: Pass or Fail?

By Larry Tomczak, Op-ed contributor Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Barack Obama takes the Oath of Office as the 44th president of the United States from U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts (R) as his wife Michelle holds the Bible during the inauguration ceremony in Washington, January 20, 2009. | (Photo: REUTERS/Jim Bourg)

2,500 days ago expectations ran high as the Obama presidency began. Hailed as an epochal event, the nation's first black Commander-in-chief launched his "fundamental transformation of America."

Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author and cultural commentator with over 40 years of trusted ministry experience.

Speaking at Dave Ramsey's headquarters, I scurried home to watch the historic inaugural moment with another leadership couple and my wife. My long time friend quietly excused himself and went upstairs saying, "I can't bear to watch this. I know who he is and I fear what he'll do to our country."

I must confess that at the time I also had a strong sense of foreboding about Barack Obama's election. Today, while I continue to pray for him as I have every day of his terms, I'm anticipating the end and praying God will have mercy on America, awaken us from our stupor, and grant us godly leadership as we believe for a third Great Awakening.

Presently I serve on an executive committee of a national prayer event called "United Cry" scheduled for April 9th on the Lincoln Memorial grounds. 30,000 pastors are expected to lead the nation in repentance-based intercession for God's mercy on our nation at this pivotal time.

Ronald Reagan said, "If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under."

We are at this precipice now. We desperately need to pray and fast for righteous leaders to lead us out of the morass. We also need to realize how dangerously far we've strayed from our Judeo-Christian foundations under the presidency of Mr. Obama.

Not long ago I pulled up to a traffic light and noticed a bumper sticker on the car in front of me that said, "Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8." The passage is a plea for someone to be removed from his position of influence and for someone more righteous to take his leadership role.

The man who promised "Hope and Change" and pledged to unify us not as "red states or blue states but as the United States" warrants an evaluation before he exits the Oval Office. Jerry Seinfeld says Obama is the "coolest guy ever to hold this office!" but let's go deeper than a "coolness factor" to engage in an exercise — a little quiz to gauge development or damages before electing a new president.

An End-of-Term Assessment

1. In campaigning, Barack Obama pledged to unify the country and restore trust in the government.

Pew Research's latest poll reveals, "Currently just 19% of Americans trust the government — among lowest level in 50 years."

Pass or Fail?

2. This president recently said the greatest crisis facing the world is climate change.

Americans overwhelmingly state that ISIS/radical Islamist terrorism is our greatest threat today.

Pass or Fail?

3. In Harry Potter books, the villain Voldemort so terrifies that they call him "He Who Must Not Be Named."

Masses believe we must identify and defeat Jihadists by first rejecting Obama's Voldemort approach: the refusal to call radical Islam by its proper name.

Pass or Fail?

4. In seeking office, Barack Obama emphatically stated he would never allow Iran a nuclear bomb.

His "Iran Deal" is labeled the "greatest foreign-policy disaster in history," endangering Israel, America and the entire world as terrorists have been given the pathway to develop atomic weapons. Tehran has already been caught violating terms three times.

Pass or Fail?

5. Regarding gay marriage, candidate Obama assured Americans of his conviction on the sanctity of marriage as only between a man and a woman.

Upon election he pivoted to endorse homosexual marriage and said his finest moment of 2015 was celebrating the SCOTUS ruling as he lit up the White House in rainbow colors. What scripture calls an "abomination" he advocates, as Out Magazine names him "Ally of the Year."

Pass or Fail?

6. When asked by Pastor Rick Warren about abortion and life in the womb, he demurred it was "above his pay grade."

In office he's been a staunch proponent and defender of both abortion and Planned Parenthood, pronouncing "God bless you!" at their convention.

Pass or Fail?

7. Mr. Obama vowed to cut wasteful spending, balance the budget and protect future generations from plunder and deceit.

When he leaves office he will have accumulated more national debt than any president in history and all prior presidents combined.

Pass or Fail?

8. As Commander-in-chief he promised to protect our nation and its citizens.

When four Americans were slaughtered in Benghazi begging for this government's help, he mislead Americans stating the disaster came from a spontaneous demonstration started by a video.

Pass or Fail?

9. While promoting his Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) that presidential candidates vow to repeal on day one in office and which experts increasingly predict will be an unmitigated disaster, he promised 20 times, "If you want to keep your policy/your doctor—you can!" "The average family of four will annually save $2500!"

Wasn't this untrue and manipulation of the masses?

Pass or Fail?

10. For refusing to stop illegal immigration, build the wall already approved by Congress and misleading Americans that illegal immigrants from Central America would not be able to bring their children into the United States, our president deserves a performance review.

Pass or Fail?

Larry Tomczak is a best-selling author and cultural commentator with over 40 years of trusted ministry experience. His passion is to bring perspective, analysis and insight from a biblical worldview. He loves people and loves awakening them to today's cultural realities and the responses needed for the bride of Christ—His church—to become influential in all spheres of life once again. He is also a public policy advisor with Liberty Counsel.