Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced on Wednesday that he will retire from the House by the close of 2023 after losing the speakership back in October. “I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is only getting started‚” McCarthy said in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. McCarthy‚ who represents the 20th Congressional District in California‚ was first elected to Congress in 2006 and worked his way up the GOP ranks while becoming a fundraising powerhouse. He won the speaker’s gavel in the 15th round of voting in January‚ but only after making concessions‚ such as restoring the ability of a single member to trigger the process that would lead to such a no-confidence vote. Citing frustrations with McCarthy’s leadership‚ Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) filed a “motion to vacate the chair” in early October after the House passed a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Gaetz and seven other Republicans joined with Democrats in a 216-210 vote that ousted McCarthy. The GOP-led House elected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as its 56th speaker in late October‚ ending a weeks-long stalemate. Upon losing the speakership‚ McCarthy assured reporters that “yes” he would seek re-election and said he would not resign‚ asserting that he had “a lot more work to do.” But the California Republican recently began to signal that he was reassessing his future plans. In his op-ed on Wednesday‚ McCarthy touted his accomplishments‚ including helping Republicans win the majority in the House and passing various bills — including the spending legislation that preceded his ouster as speaker. “No matter the odds‚ or personal cost‚ we did the right thing. That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days‚ but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country‚” he wrote. More than a couple dozen House members have announced that they will not seek another two-year term in new year’s elections. Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC)‚ who served as temporary House speaker during a leadership fight this fall and is seen as a close McCarthy ally‚ announced on Tuesday that he will pass up a 2024 re-election bid. McCarthy leaving early means the GOP’s majority in the House‚ in which Republicans only have a handful more members than the Democrats‚ gets narrower after the chamber voted to expel Rep. George Santos (R-NY) last week. A special election to replace Santos for the remainder of his term is set for mid-February. Another special election for McCarthy’s seat could soon be scheduled too. Looking forward‚ McCarthy said‚ “I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day‚ and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders.” David Giglio‚ a businessman who is running to take McCarthy’s seat as an “America First” candidate aligned with former President Donald Trump‚ issued a statement on Wednesday warning that McCarthy is looking to “wield power and influence behind the scenes through a handpicked successor.”

Former President Donald Trump predicted on Tuesday that President Joe Biden will not be the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee in 2024. During a Fox News town hall in Iowa‚ host Sean Hannity said Biden is “struggling cognitively” and asked Trump if he believes Biden will be the candidate for the Democrats in the next election. “I personally don’t think he makes it‚ OK? I haven’t said that. I’m saving it for this big town hall. I’ve never really said that. I personally don’t think he makes it‚” Trump said. President Trump doesn't think Joe Biden will make it to the Election as the Democrat nominee: "I don’t think he makes it physically." pic.twitter.com/Aie3hhGm2K — Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) December 6‚ 2023 “I think he’s in bad shape physically‚” Trump also said‚ adding later‚ “mentally I would say he is possibly equally as bad‚ and maybe even worse.” Biden is 81 while Trump is 77. Biden’s tendency to lose his train of thought while speaking‚ along with moments caught on camera where he has tripped or fallen over‚ have spurred concerns — even among Democrats — about Biden’s ability to lead effectively. Still‚ Biden‚ like Trump‚ is running as his party’s clear frontrunner. Trump also responded to Biden telling donors earlier on Tuesday that he was “not sure” he would be running for re-election in 2024 if Trump was not also seeking a second term. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP “Well‚ I think somebody gave him a talking point. They thought that would sound good‚” Trump said. Some of the buzz that emerged from the town hall focused on Trump saying he would be a “dictator” on “day one” of his second term to crack down on border security and ramp up drilling for fossil fuels. “After that‚ I’m not a dictator‚” Trump added. Trump: "He says 'you're not going to be a dictator are you?' I said no no no‚ other than Day 1. We're closing the border‚ and we're drilling drilling drilling. After that‚ I'm not a dictator." pic.twitter.com/SZU6KiYd2l — The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) December 6‚ 2023 Biden’s campaign manager‚ Julie Chavez Rodriguez‚ issued a statement that said‚ “Donald Trump has been telling us exactly what he will do if he’s reelected and tonight he said he will be a dictator on day one. Americans should believe him.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Throughout the rest of the town hall‚ Trump offered up some policy ideas such as expanding drilling to pay for senior benefits and predicted he would win the Iowa caucuses next month. He trained much of his fire at Biden‚ who has warned voters “democracy is at stake” because of Trump and “extreme MAGA” Republicans. “You know‚ I see Biden talking about‚ ‘Oh‚ MAGA! MAGA!’ MAGA means Make America Great Again. That’s what it means. And that’s what people want‚” Trump said‚ adding‚ “They want to see our country be great again. Right now we’re not a great country. We’re a country in decline. We are a declining country.”

Legendary Hollywood producer Norman Lear‚ who was responsible for some of the most popular television shows of the 1970s‚ has died at the age of 101. “Thank you for the moving outpouring of love and support in honor of our wonderful husband‚ father‚ and grandfather‚” Lear’s family said in a statement‚ per Variety. “Norman lived a life of creativity‚ tenacity‚ and empathy. He deeply loved our country and spent a lifetime helping to preserve its founding ideals of justice and equality for all. Knowing and loving him has been the greatest of gifts. We ask for your understanding as we mourn privately in celebration of this remarkable human being.” Lear had his first big hit with the sitcom “All In the Family” featuring Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor) as the family patriarch of a working-class family. The program soon became the most-watched show in the United States and is regarded by many as one of the best sitcoms ever created. Lear’s next hit TV sitcom was “Sanford and Son‚” which focused on a black widower father and his son living in Los Angeles. It’s seen as a precursor to many other black-focused comedies to come.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Other shows credited to Lear include “Maude” and “The Jeffersons‚” which were both spin-offs of “All in the Family‚” “One Day at a Time‚” and “Good Times.” He also worked on film scripts for popular projects‚ including writing scripts for “Come Blow Your Horn” (1963); “The Night They Raided Minsky’s” (1968); “The Thief Who Came to Dinner” (1971); “Stand by Me” (1986) and “The Princess Bride” (1987)‚ and “Fried Green Tomatoes” (1991).  The TV producer received many awards over the course of his career‚ including six Emmys‚ two Peabody Awards‚ the National Medal of Arts‚ the Kennedy Center Honors‚ and the Golden Globe Carol Burnett Award in 2021. He was also a member of the Television Academy Hall of Fame. Lear‚ who was a liberal‚ is well known for creating one of the most iconic politically incorrect characters of all time in Archie Bunker‚ whom he said he based on his own father. Lear later compared President Donald Trump to Bunker. He’s also remembered for addressing social issues of the day‚ including racism‚ abortion‚ homosexuality‚ and the Vietnam War. In a two-part episode of “Maude” which aired in 1973‚ the main character opts to have an abortion after becoming unexpectedly pregnant at the age of 47. This was the first time a character on primetime television had an abortion‚ and the narrative happened to coincide with the historic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.  In the ’80s‚ Lear dropped out of television and founded the liberal public-interest group People For The American Way. When asked if he found his shows controversial during a 2005 Onion A.V. Club interview‚ the producer replied‚ “My shows were not that controversial with the American people. They were controversial with the people who think for the American people. That’s a very hard thing to help the establishment know. We’re still an establishment that thinks the average mentality is something like 13 years of age‚ that never forgot H.L. Mencken’s notion that nobody lost money underestimating the intelligence of the American people. That’s the horsesh** the establishment has always lived with.” Lear went on to say the American people were not “the best educated” but “wise at heart.”

Pop superstar Taylor Swift has been named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 2023‚ the publication announced on Wednesday. The 33-year-old gushed over the honor‚ telling the outlet‚ “This is the proudest and happiest I’ve ever felt‚ and the most creatively fulfilled and free I’ve ever been. Ultimately‚ we can convolute it all we want‚ or try to overcomplicate it‚ but there’s only one question: Are you not entertained?”  For almost a century‚ Time has been picking a person who had the most influence on the world‚ be it positive or negative. The distinction was initially called “Man of the Year‚” and prior to 1999‚ only four women had been selected. Swift was also named Person of the Year in 2017‚ making her one of just a handful of individuals who were selected more than once. She beat out other contenders for this year‚ including Barbie‚ Trump prosecutors‚ King Charles III‚ Hollywood Strikers‚ Sam Altman‚ Vladimir Putin‚ Xi Jinping‚ and Jerome Powell. CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP Besides being named to the Time list‚ Swift was named the Most Intriguing Person of the Year by People Magazine and topped the Forbes list of the world’s most powerful women in media and entertainment. This was a big year for Swift‚ who headlined her worldwide Eras Tour. The “Cruel Summer” singer also re-released two albums‚ “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” She became Spotify’s most-streamed artist worldwide with 26.1 billion streams since January. Swift took home a Grammy and 9 MTV Video Music Awards this year. Her net worth crossed the $1 billion threshold thanks to the success of The Eras Tour and the movie version of the concert‚ which was released in theaters in October. “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” became the highest-grossing concert film of all time in the U.S. and Canada within days of its premiere in theaters and has since raked in more than $250 million. The singer also began a high-profile romance with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce‚ which has only served to bring more attention to this massively popular celebrity. 

If you’ve got a four-legged friend‚ rambunctious reptile‚ or anything in between‚ you know that pets are champions of creating funny stories. Whether they’re diving into things they shouldn’t or bringing prey home that they ought not‚ pets are the best way to build your arsenal of amazing anecdotes. This Reddit post called for the funniest pet stories‚ and these posters did not disappoint. Sugar gliders‚ cats‚ dogs‚ and more are capable of crafting some hilarious tales. Disclaimer: there are a few swear words sprinkled about in the original thread‚ but we have censored them here! 1. This sugar glider came out of nowhere! This image is from Reddit. I can’t imagine anything more startling than watching a movie about aliens‚ only to be surprised by your own personal flying alien. 2. Uh oh! This chihuahua turned into a weapon! This image is from Reddit. Chihuahuas are the tiniest (and arguably most mischievous) dogs on Earth‚ and thus‚ sometimes they become accidental cannonballs. It’s simply how nature works. The post The 10 Funniest Pet Stories‚ Featuring Their Disgruntled Owners appeared first on InspireMore.

It’s The Lives round on this season of The Voice‚ and that means the battle is only getting tougher! Huntley‚ a performer on Niall Horan’s team‚ just shook up The Voice competition with his unreal cover of “With a Little Help From My Friends.” Huntley has an epic look and unique voice‚ creating the perfect storm of a powerful performance. This image is from YouTube. The start of the song was recognizable‚ but as the cover went on‚ Huntley added a powerful twist‚ growing the tune in intensity as it went on. Huntley’s a fan-favorite this season‚ but The Voice is a tough competition. The performers in this round are top-tier. “Niall’s team is so good‚ I can’t get over it‚” commented one The Voice fan. “All three of his team members gave performances that could’ve been given at their own show‚ which I would’ve paid to see.” “How this man isn’t already a star amazes me‚” said another. “He has it all‚ the talent‚ the stage presence‚ the look. He seems like such a humble guy‚ too.” Check out Huntley’s powerful cover on this week of The Voice for yourself. Who do you think is going to take first place this season? The featured image for this post is from YouTube. The post Huntley Stuns Audience With Epic Cover of Joe Cocker’s Hit on “The Voice.” appeared first on InspireMore.

This season of The Voice is coming to a head‚ and competition is getting tough. Ruby Leigh‚ of Team Reba‚ just performed an incredible cover of “You Lie” for Reba herself on this week’s episode of The Voice. Ruby’s tone‚ clarity‚ and emotionality are making her a front-runner this season. She has a truly incredible sound! This image is from YouTube. This performance was powerful‚ highlighting Ruby above all. While The Voice starts to add back-up singers and other tech components at this stage of the competition‚ this performance exemplified Ruby Leigh and her strengths without distraction. Reba must have been astonished by Ruby’s performance! The audience certainly was. “Wow‚ what she does with her voice and her vocal cords to create such shading‚ and the power she has in all of them is just breathtaking‚” commented one fan of her performance. “She is truly unique‚ special‚ and a star.” “I wasn’t prepared to get the shivers four times and run for some tissue. Ruby’s voice and its high pitching‚ yodel yearning‚ quality is truly mesmerizing‚” said another Ruby fan. If you want to see the inspiring Ruby Leigh performance for yourself‚ check out this clip from this week’s episode of The Voice below. The featured image for this post is from YouTube. The post Ruby Leigh Performs Reba McEntire Hit For Reba Herself On “The Voice.” appeared first on InspireMore.

Phone scammers seem to be getting worse lately. No one is safe. If you have a phone‚ you will receive scam calls. According to US government sources‚ the most frequent categories of potential scam calls include romance‚ spoofing‚ charity‚ and robocall scams. We found a young lady who is an expert at pranking phone scammers! Many people ignore any phone numbers they don’t recognize‚ allowing the calls to go to voicemail. While this works in many instances‚ you might be expecting a call back from a business that isn’t in your contacts. Depending on your phone service‚ the display may have a complete caller ID or display the phone number. Image from Ophtek. This Young Lady Is Pranking Phone Scammers Under the hashtag #irlrosie‚ there are dozens of instances of this young lady pranking phone scammers. Rosie Okumura is a real person who uses her talent as a voice actor to give a little payback to phone scammers. She has been interviewed on TV and has tons of fun while collecting millions of views on YouTube and Instagram. Rosie threatens to unleash the authorities on our hapless scammer in our featured clip. Image from YouTube. We’re unsure if Rosie uses a script for her calls‚ but they are hilarious. She begins with‚ “I’m getting an alert here that uh your location is running a scam center.” You can hear the flustered scammer on the line asking‚ “What are you talking about?” Rosie calmly explains that they are working to locate the call center so the authorities can be notified. Image from YouTube. The scammer asks Rosie to tell him his location. She said they could use his IP address to track the correct physical location. She asked the scammer for their first and last name‚ and they hung up! This happens frequently to her and usually brings a smile and a quick giggle. Rosie is a pro and quickly moves on to continue pranking other phone scammers. Quick Tips To Protect Yourself If you have to answer these calls‚ there are some things you can do to protect yourself. The most common advice is never to say “Yes.” Scammers often lead with‚ “Can you hear me?” Say “no” or hang up immediately. The reason for this advice is that scammers may record your answer and plug it into a different script‚ allowing them to manipulate purchases and more in your name‚ saying they have “voice approval.” If you’re in the mood for a fun adventure‚ you can always do what this young lady did. Never offer personal information. Do not give an incoming call your address‚ name‚ or other information. Medicare scammers will try to tell you you are eligible for all kinds of medical equipment. They will tell you they need your address to send you your knee or back braces. Listen‚ if they have access to your medical records to know that you have bad knees‚ they can find your address on their own. If you suspect a call is a scam‚ many avenues exist to report it. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) keeps an updated listing with tips and suggestions to help you avoid scams. Watch the short clip here‚ or head over to Rosie’s YouTube channel and spend the day laughing at her perfect poise while she is pranking the scammers. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here and here. The post Woman Cleverly Pranks Scammer‚ “The Authorities Are On Their Way.” appeared first on InspireMore.

There’s a lot to love about shows like “The Voice‚” but one of my personal favorites is seeing the way these up-and-coming artist make classic songs their own. The live shows have officially started‚ and it’s clear each contestant is upping their game‚ including Nini Iris who performed “Lovesong” by The Cure. The 27-year-old captured everyone’s attention from the moment she stepped onto the stage. Dressed in a long‚ stunning black dress‚ Nini stood on top of massive platform. A string quartet and a pianist were nearby‚ adding to the theatrics. “The Cure’s” original rendition is already considered goth‚ but folks are saying that Nini took things to another level. YouTube In addition to the overall spooky vibes her outfit and the stage gave‚ her slower version of this classic made it all the more haunting. With each word‚ she was able to convey the emotions of the lyrics‚ all while delivering powerful high notes. But Nini’s performance wasn’t full of only high notes — she also amazed the audience with her lower register. Nini Iris Stuns With “The Cure” Rendition I can only imagine how proud Nini’s coach‚ Niall Horan‚ must have felt about her stellar performance. Though‚ he did make how he felt pretty clear. “And the Grammy foes to…” Horan said‚ adding that the performance was “absolutely spectacular.” Watch Nini Iris deliver a haunting performance of “Lovesong” by The Cure on “The Voice” in the video below. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here! The post “And The Grammy Goes To…” Haunting Performance Takes Over “The Voice” Stage. appeared first on InspireMore.

War is complicated and heartbreaking‚ impacting people all over the world. But one thing we can all agree on is the power of love. This five-year-old Israeli girl was taken hostage by the Hamas and is now free‚ reconnecting with her classmates. This image is from YouTube. Her reunion with her kindergarten friends is a powerful sight to see. What an incredible testament to the power of love to persist through all obstacles and injustices. Emilia Aloni remained a hostage for nearly two months before reuniting with her friends. Now‚ the glee between the pals is obvious! It’s a truly inspiring video. “Her classmates hugging her is the cutest‚ warmest thing I’ve seen in a long time‚” commented one viewer of the powerful clip. These kiddos clearly missed their friend‚ and she clearly missed them too. What a sweet video to watch amidst such difficult times. While war is complex and unjust for many all over the globe‚ the power of friendship and love persists through dark times. This child was an Israeli hostage and has now seen reconnection with her classmates. It’s a harsh reality for a child so young. Watch the reunion below and be sure to bring some tissues! To learn some ways to help victims of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict‚ click here. The featured image for this post is from YouTube. The post 5-Yr-Old Israeli Hostage’s Joyful Reunion With Classmates After Hamas Release. appeared first on InspireMore.