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Polls

speaker john boehner

House Speaker John Boehner R-OH) approaches media during 2013 partial government shutdown.

With two declared challengers and a growing list of House members opposed to his leadership, public opinion is building against Speaker John Boehner (R-OH). The latest PPD Poll of 500 likely Republican voters finds 65 percent say they want their representative to bolt on Boehner when the House votes for speaker this week, while just 26 percent support their representative backing him.

Interestingly, just 24 percent of Republican voters have a favorable opinion of the Ohio congressman, two points below the number supporting his candidacy to keep the gavel. Similarly, 61 percent view the Ohio Republican unfavorably, or 4 points less than the percentage of GOP voters who support a move to replace him. While only 14 percent have a “very favorable” opinion of Boehner, 32 percent say they have a “very unfavorable” opinion of him.

Conventional wisdom dictates that Boehner appears to be on track to garner the votes needed to avoid a second ballot, despite the fact he can afford to lose only 29 votes. The task of overthrowing Boehner, or any speaker for that matter, is a very tall order, indeed. In fact, it has not happened since 1923, when Frederick Gillette, a Republican from Massachusetts, took nine ballots to win re-election as speaker.

However, it is also true that Republicans have their largest majority since the 1920s, and if actual Republican voters had their way, then his days as speaker would most assuredly be numbered.

Top Reasons Republicans Support Replacing Boehner:

1. Broke his promise to fight Obama’s immigration/amnesty order “tooth and nail” (25 percent)

2. Hasn’t done enough to stop ObamaCare (19 percent)

3. Cares more about corporate welfare than the general welfare of working class Americans (15 percent)

Reps. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., and Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, announced over the weekend — Saturday and Sunday, respectively — that they would challenge Boehner for the position. Even though the PPD Poll did not ask respondents who they would like to see their representative back for speaker, PPD found increased support for the opposition in Sunday’s respondents juxtaposed to those surveyed on Saturday. That’s not to say Republican voters back Gohmert over Yoho, however. It likely reflects an observed increased awareness to the movement rather than some other factor.

PPD has confirmed nine members have declared their opposition to Boehner. The list includes Reps. Jim Bridenstine, R-Okla., Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., Steve King, R-Iowa, Dave Brat, R-Va., Marlin Stutzman, R- Ind., Water Jones, R-N.C., Thomas Massie, R-Ky, as well as Yoho and Gohmert.

Worth noting, one of the members on the list above — Rep. Dave Brat, R-Va. — defeated Boehner’s number two in an upset primary victory in 2014. Even if Boehner survives the insurgency, there are two noteworthy similarities regarding both Boehner and former Majority Leader Eric Cantor. First, illegal immigration played a major role in the public’s negative opinion of both men. Second, Boehner clearly lost something Cantor also found out he had lost, albeit too late — the public’s trust and support.

The PPD Poll of 500 likely Republican voters was conducted from January 3 – 4, 2015, and has a MoE of +/- 3 percentage points with a 95 percent level of confidence. Interviewers surveyed respondents, the results of which are weighted to reflect a breakdown of 50 percent landlines and 50 percent cellphones.

With two declared challengers and a growing

Economy

ford-f150-aluminum

Earlier in 2014, Ford temporarily ceased production as it retooled facilities to build its first mass-produced, aluminum-bodied truck – the new Ford F-150. (Credit: Courtesy of Ford Motor Co.)

The auto industry posted stronger-than-expected sales in the U.S. last month, as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (NYSE:FCAU), Nissan Motor Co. (OTCMKTS:NSANY), Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:HMC) and others reported some of the strongest gains in years.

December is traditionally a strong month for auto sales, which were expected by investors to post strong gains. However, the auto industry also reported stronger U.S. sales in the month of November fueled by cheaper gasoline and Black Friday shopping deals nationwide, according to car shopping website TrueCar (NASDAQ:TRUE).

The same holiday sales and incentives, as well as falling gasoline prices again proved to be the main factors driving consumers to purchase automobiles.

Whether the auto industry can sustain such growth in 2015 is another question, altogether. Auto information service Kelley Blue Book said it expects auto makers to sell 16.9 million vehicles in the U.S. this year, which would be the highest sales number in 10 years and would indicate sustained growth, though at a slower rate.

December also marked the highest average transaction prices on record for light vehicles, according to Kelley Blue Book, as the figure grew nearly 3 percent on a year-over-year basis to $34,367. Meanwhile, the average price grew by 1.6 percent from November.

Chrysler said it sold more than two million units last year, which are the company’s best sales number seen since 2006. Further, the giant auto maker enjoyed its best December sales in a decade.

Chrysler said it sold 193,261 vehicles last month, or an increase of 20 percent, with car sales increasing by 19 percent and truck sales increasing by 20 percent.

Sales for the Ram and Jeep models saw double-digit growth, by 35 percent and 19 percent, respectively. Overall, the company’s Chrysler brand’s sales rose 53 percent, fueled by growth from its 200 sedan and its Town and Country minivan.

Nissan said it sold 117,318 vehicles last mont, up from the 109,758 vehicles sold a year earlier, but the increase was largely due to an increase in car sales, which rose more than 12 percent. The company’s Sentra, Altima and Leaf posted strong gains.

In total, the company said it set a company record with nearly 1.4 million U.S. sales over the entire year, representing an increase of 11 percent.

Honda said it sold more than 1.5 million vehicles in the U.S. during the year 2014, which was the company’s second-best post ever.

The company’s U.S. sales last month rose 1.5 percent to 137,281 vehicles, but growth in truck sales actually offset a decline in car sales.

Overall, Chrysler projected total industry sales in the U.S. at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 17.3 million units. Kelley Blue Book had projected 16.7 million units, and Edmunds.com expected 16.8 million.

Meanwhile, Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) said it sold 2,480,942 units in 2014, representing an expected 0.5 percent decline from 2013 as the Dearborn automaker took its lumps from the roll-out of an all-new, 2015 F-150 pickup.

Earlier in 2014, Ford temporarily ceased production as it retooled facilities to build its first mass-produced, aluminum-bodied truck.

The results of the gamble are not expected to pay off — or not — until well into 2015, as the new F-150 only hit dealerships last month. The F-Series truck has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for the past 33 years, and has been the best-selling truck in the states for 38 years straight.

While Ford’s sales totals were flat for 2014, it was still the company’s best sales year since 2005.

The auto industry posted stronger-than-expected sales in

Economy, Markets

mario-draghi european central bank

ECB President Mario Draghi (seen in photo) resists argument from Sabine Lautenschlaeger, Germany’s appointee to the ECB’s Executive Board, said now was not the time for state bond buying. (Photo: REUTERS)

The euro (EURUSD) reached a nine-year low against the U.S. dollar, falling more than 1 percent on worries of negative inflation and the economic fallout from Greece’s political crisis. The euor eventually increased slightly to 0.8 percent, but it fell as low $1.18605 overnight, which was its lowest level since March 2006.

It struggled at $1.1895 when U.S. trading began, as the dollar (USDUSD) rose and extended its bull run all the way to a nine-year high.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi said in an interview last week that the bank could begin its own quantitative easing program, similar to those pursued by the U.S. and British central banks in recent years.

The European Central Bank announced they would keep the cost of borrowing at record lows after a meeting back in early December, facing two-sided pressure from Washington and Germany. However, Draghi’s statement came ahead of Wednesday’s release of Germany’s official inflation figures, which saw more weakness in December, adding to the downward pressure on the euro and government bond yields before Wednesday’s euro zone estimate.

Meanwhile, investors have renewed fears that Greece could leave the 19-country currency union. Greeks will vote in snap elections on Jan. 25 that could potential result in the election of the radical left-wing SYRIZA. The group has suggested said it wants to free Athens from the austerity measures imposed by its bailout, breaking a national promise and leaving Germany and France on the hook to foot the bill.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras suggested that the future of the Eurozone hangs in the balance in Greece’s election, as the country’s decision to exit from the currency union could spark other debtor countries to follow suit.

The euro hit a near 9-year low

Video, World

With over 5,000 Afghans soldiers and police killed by insurgents in 2014, making it the bloodiest year of the war, President Ashraf Ghani is hoping the U.S. rethinks its withdrawal timeline. “Deadlines concentrate the mind. But deadlines should not be dogmas,” he told Lara Logan during an interview on CBS’s 60 Minutes.

“If both parties, or, in this case, multiple partners, have done their best to achieve the objectives and progress is very real, then there should be willingness to reexamine a deadline,” Ghani added. When asked whether President Obama knows his sentiment, Ghani replied, “President Obama knows me. We don’t need to tell each other.”

Ghani and other pro-West Afghan leaders worry that the withdrawal could trigger the same kind of insurgency plaguing Iraq since the U.S. left. The Afghanistan Taliban, who is notorious for saying “the U.S. has the watches, but we have the time,” have already declared victory over the United States.

Gen. John Campbell, the commander of the coalition forces in Afghanistan, was noticeably more upbeat about the nation’s prospects.

“It’s the number one respected institution in Afghanistan. Couple years ago, I probably wouldn’t have said that, but today it is,” says Campbell in an interview in Kabul. “With the military they have here…this is not Iraq. I don’t see ISIS, ISIL, coming into Afghanistan like they did into Iraq,” he says. “The Afghan Security Forces would not allow that.”

Under President Obama, roughly 70 percent of troop casualties have occurred and, under the current mandate, U.S. troops are now down to only 10,000. In just one year’s time, that number will be cut in half. By December 2016, the U.S. mission will be completely over, accomplished or not.

According to a new survey conducted by Rasmussen Reports, after 13 years, few Americans believe the U.S. accomplished its mission in Afghanistan, with only 15 percent of likely voters saying the U.S. mission to end Afghanistan’s harboring of al-Qaeda terrorists has been accomplished. A whopping 64 percent disagree.

In a separate survey, for the first time in years, a majority of Americans say they support leaving troops in the country until the mission is complete. A significant 60 percent say troops should remain in Afghanistan in a limited role until such time.

With over 5,000 Afghans soldiers and police

Politics

house-speaker-john-boehner

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is facing a serious challenge to his position as a result of the $1.1 trillion CRomnibus bill passed in December.

The number of Republican House members opposing current House Speaker John Boehner for a third term as speaker increased following two announced challenges. As of Monday morning, a total of nine Republicans have openly declared that they intend to vote against Boehner for Speaker of the House when the chambers convenes on Tuesday.

The nine members who have declared their opposition to Boehner are Jim Bridenstine, R-Okla., Louie Gohmert R-Texas, Ted Yoho, R-Fla., Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., Steve King, R-Iowa, Dave Brat, R-Va., Marlin Stutzman, R- Ind., Water Jones, R-N.C., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

However, two of those members will likely vote for themselves, as Gohmert and Yoho announced over the weekend that they will stand against Boehner for the position.

“The American people have spoken loud and clear by their choice to elect conservative Representatives to serve them in Washington,” Rep. Yoho said Saturday. “It’s our turn now, as Members of the People’s House, to echo their demands by electing a new Speaker.”

The announcement prompted to Gohmert, who was among the first to be vocal about his disappointed with the $1.1 trillion CRomnibus when it passed, to announce Sunday he would also seek the gavel.

“After the November elections gave Republicans control of the Senate, voters made clear they wanted change,” Gohmert said on Fox & Friends. “We were hopeful our leaders got the voters’ message. However, after our speaker forced through the (spending bill) by passing it with Democratic votes and without time to read it, it seemed clear that we needed new leadership.”

Though Gohmert also indicted that at least one other member would announce a challenge, he offered no other details on who that individual may be.

Still, the task of overthrowing Boehner is a tall order, as it will take at least 28 dissenting votes to bring the election to a second ballot, which has not happened since 1923, when Frederick Gillette, a Republican from Massachusetts, took nine ballots to win re-election.

It is also true, however, that Republicans also have their largest majority since the 1920s, which could help to upset a vote that is typically a simple formality split along party lines.

Further, Rep. Bridenstine released a statement late Sunday referring to the rebels as a “Gang of Nine,” but claimed “Monday, we will be in double digits.” Meanwhile, Rep. Jones of North Carolina said that as many as 18 conservatives will look to vote against Boehner.

A Boehner spokesman said Sunday that the speaker was selected in November as the House Republican Conference’s choice and that “he expects to be elected by the whole House this week.”

Most of the opposition to Boehner stems from the belief among conservative members that he caved in by agreeing last month to a $1.1 trillion temporary federal spending bill, which averted another partial government shutdown. Those members believe Boehner did not do enough to punish President Obama for sidestepping Congress over immigration reform.

“Like President Obama, Speaker Boehner must have heard voices that didn’t vote,” Rep. Bridestine said in a statement. “Together they crafted the CR/Omnibus, a $1.1 trillion spending bill which funded the government for 10 months and blocked our newest elected Republicans from advancing conservative policy and delivering on campaign promises. With this vote, Republicans gave away the best tool available to rein in our liberal activist President: the power of the purse.”

But if rebellious House Republican members hope to bring the vote to a second ballot, they will likely have to unify behind a single candidate, though as of now, they seem unlikely to do so.

“We now have two great candidates willing to challenge the status quo,” Bridestine said. “I could vote for either Louie Gohmert or Ted Yoho.”

The number of Republican House members opposing

Opinion

2015

Liberty Never Sleeps host, Thomas Purcell, gives his top 10 predictions of doom and gloom for 2015 and, unfortunately, he has a pretty good track record.

Yes, it’s that time of year again when Liberty Never Sleeps makes its annual predictions for doom and gloom in 2015.

As we reviewed on our New Year’s Eve show, these are our top 10 predictions for 2015. Judging from our past record, it’s a pretty good bet that 8 or 9 of these predictions at least will certainly come true.

Liberty Never Sleeps radio show and website claims no psychic ability or mystical powers of the occult — just a thorough understanding of history and the illusion that somehow big government solves problems.

Here they are, in no particular order:

  1. The liberal media will become bolder in 2015 with outright lies being published about American early leadership and rising stars in the GOP questioning loyalty and other matters. The DNC will rally with scandals and at least one high-profile — possible POTUS candidate — will have a major scandal.
  2. For the third year in a row, we will have a major terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Worse, it will be shown that a failure in intelligence will be the culprit, possibly leading back to a Dreamer or other immigrant to the country as a result of this President’s policies. There will be a groundswell of outrage and calls for impeachment, but the do-nothing Congress will let it slide.
  3. A dark horse will emerge in the GOP on the national front who picks up the banner of conservatism without putting on the tinfoil hat element of the party. There will be a major push in his state to scandalize or otherwise discredit him, and the GOP elders will lead the charge.
  4. ISIS will grow strong and seize at least one or more major cities in the Middle East, sue for peace and want a seat in the United Nations. Obama will appease and suggest they get it.
  5. The reduction in oil and gas prices will cause the economy to grow for the first time since the recession. Things will be rosier and the economy will be in recovery. The GOP will be stymied by it and the DNC will use it as a method to springboard to the White House. Republicans will take the blame, too, as taxes rise since they propose new revenues to pay off the debt.
  6. ObamaCare will be revamped in small measures to protect corporations, but do little to ease the plight of the middle class. Corporations will grow stronger and the rally will continue until 2016, at least. Economic instability in Micronesia.
  7. Taxes will increase across the board and the DBC will make sure the moderate GOP takes the blame as the new Congress will compromise in order to bolster the burgeoning debt that will spiral out of control. The GOP falls into the trap and writes up various bills to propose new taxes.
  8. Smaller insurance companies will continue to be gobbled up by the larger carriers and ObamaCare will become entrenched. Premiums skyrocket due to lack of competition.
  9. A new face will rise in the DNC and Hillary will probably bow out of the POTUS race. This new person will be backed by Obama.
  10. America will expand its “peacekeeping” role in the U.N. and complete its withdrawal from the world. Expect Japan and Taiwan to take the brunt of it.

Bonus Prediction

Expect a major natural disaster like an earthquake or flood in Mexico or Central America to hit with Obama claiming we need to take in millions of refugees without proper screening and paperwork. Also, he will pave the way for more refugees from ISIS.

That’s it.

Hope you have good 2015, but always plan for the worst. The Liberty Never Sleeps show will.

Thomas Purcell is nationally syndicated columnist, author of the book “Shotgun Republic” and is host of the Liberty Never Sleeps podcast. More of his work can be found at LibertyNeverSleeps.com.

[mybooktable book=”shotgun-republic” display=”summary”]

Liberty Never Sleeps host, Thomas Purcell, gives

Politics, Video

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) said Sunday that he will challenge House Speaker John Boehner for his post when Congress returns this week to Washington.

Gohmert, who was furious over a perceived betrayal by Boehner regarding the $1.1 trillion CRomnibus bill, made the announcement Sunday morning on “Fox and Friends,” saying he decided to run after Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL), said Saturday that he would challenge Boehner, as well.

“We have heard from a lot of Republicans that said, ‘I would vote for somebody besides speaker Boehner.’ But nobody will put their name out there,” Gohmert said. “That changed yesterday with Ted Yoho.”

Gohmert also indicated that another House member will announce a challenge to Boehner on Sunday, but did not offer any specifics.

Boehner once again returns to Capitol Hill to find challenges to keep his gavel. Conservative members suggested they are open to another speaker after Boehner caved on a $1.1 trillion temporary federal spending bill, which averted another partial government shutdown but refused to challenge President Obama’s executive order on immigration.

“After the November elections gave Republicans control of the Senate, voters made clear they wanted change,” Gohmert also said Sunday. “There have been numerous examples of problematic Republican leadership, but we were hopeful our leaders got the voters’ message. However, after our speaker forced through the CR omnibus by passing it with Democratic votes and without time to read it, it seemed clear that we needed new leadership. There had been much discussion. But, until yesterday, no one had stepped up.”

Gohmert, during an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity” on Friday, said his party must use its power in the House to defund President Obama’s immigration plan as well as ObamaCare. Hannity, as well, first called for Beohner’s replacement after the CRominbus bill was shoved through Congress without allowing votes on the conservative amendments to immigration.

(Above Video: H/T RightSightings)

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) announced Sunday morning

World

pakistan-airstrikes

Pakistan airstrikes along the border with Afghanistan killed 31 militants in response to a school massacre in Peshawar, which they believe came from Khyber.

Pakistan airstrikes along the border with Afghanistan killed 31 militants in response to last month’s school massacre in Peshawar, which is now believed to have originated from the Tirrah Valley of the Khyber region. While the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban group, hoped to demoralize the Pakistani forces, the attack appears to have had a reverse impact.

As a result, both Pakistan and Afghanistan forces have become more vigilant in protecting their weak border.

The airstrikes in Khyber region at Tirrah Valley decimated four militant hideouts and a training center for suicide bombers. The operation specifically targeted the militants that fled from the attack on North Waziristan back in June, but was the result of increased military operations in response to the school attack.

Late December, officials announced that the alleged planner of the deadly attack on an army school that killed 150 people in Peshawar, Pakistan had been killed in a gun battle. Security forces acting on intelligence information raided the Bara area Thursday night and engaged in an hour-long shootout with the Islamic militant, known only as “Saddam,” a top Pakistani government official in the Khyber tribal region said. Khyber borders the northwestern city of Peshawar.

A 36-year-old father of three and volleyball enthusiast — now the most hated man in Pakistan — was ID’d as the mastermind of this week’s horrific attack on a school that left more than 130 children dead.

Umar Mansoor appeared in a December video on a website used by the terror network trying to justify the Dec. 16 attack. The Pakistan Taliban say the attack, during which mostly children were executed and at least one was teacher burned alive, was revenge for previous attacks by the Pakistani army.

The North Waziristan, in the Datta Khel area, which is located approximately 330 yards from the Afghan border, was a militant compound that held Uzbek militants and terrorists that held their allegiance to Pakistani Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur.

A suspected U.S. drone strike at the militant compound killed another seven militants and wounded four, according to officials.

Meanwhile, a bomb exploded in the Aurakzai tribal region, which killed four teenagers and injured seven as they were setting up to play a game of volleyball.

Fazal Naeem Khan said some of the wounded were critically injured and it could possibly increase their death toll.

Pakistan airstrikes along the border with Afghanistan

Politics, Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFwcsAZ8S9c

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, host of The Huckabee Show on Fox News, gave his last monologue Saturday night, indicating he is seriously considering a 2016 run.

“There’s been an awful lot of speculation as to whether I am going to run for president, and if I was willing to absolutely rule that out, I could keep doing this show,” Huckabee said. “But I cannot make such a declaration.”

Huckabee said that while he would not be making a decision until the spring of 2015, his role at Fox puts the network in an unfair positions, as well as prohibits him from accurately determining the groundswell for a potential presidential run.

“The honorable thing to do at this point is to end my tenure here at Fox,” he added. “As much as I love doing the show, I can’t bring myself to rule out another presidential run.”

“I say goodbye, he closed with. “But as we say in television: Stay tuned, there’s more to come.”

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, host of The

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