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WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb announced he has formed an exploratory committee to help him determine whether he'll run for president in 2016.

"Is it possible that our next President could actually lay out a vision for the country, and create an environment where leaders from both parties and from all philosophies would feel compelled to work together for the good of the country," Webb asks on the newly launched, Webb2016.com.

"As one who spent four years in the Reagan Administration but who served in the Senate as a Democrat, I believe it is possible. It is also necessary."

A Vietnam War veteran, Webb first appeared on the national political scene as Ronald Reagan's secretary of the Navy in 1987 and 1988. Despite his early political history with the conservative Reagan administration, Webb went onto serve in the U.S. Senate as a Democrat representing Virginia from 2007-2013.

"Forget the polls, the noise and the nasty TV ads. The challenge before us is far greater than the task of winning an election. It is how to govern, with foresight, fairness and administrative skill, once an election is over. We need to put our American house in order, to provide educational and working opportunities that meet the needs of the future, to rebuild our infrastructure and to reinforce our position as the economic engine and the greatest democracy on earth. We need to redefine and strengthen our national security obligations, while at the same time reducing ill-considered foreign ventures that have drained trillions from our economy and in some cases brought instability instead of deterrence."

Without mentioning her by name, Webb also alluded to the potential big-money campaign expected to back former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, if she chooses to run.

"With enough financial support to conduct a first-class campaign, I have no doubt that we can put these issues squarely before the American people and gain their support," Webb writes.

"The 2016 election is two years away, but serious campaigning will begin very soon. The first primaries are about a year away. Your early support will be crucial as I evaluate whether we might overcome what many commentators see as nearly impossible odds."

As a centrist Democrat, Webb was among many Senators short-listed to be Barack Obama's Vice Presidential running mate in 2008, but he publicly stated his disinterest at the time. Three years later, amidst struggling, but net-positive, approval ratings, Webb announced he would not seek reelection to the Senate.

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Virginia Democrat Jim Webb forms presidential exploratory committee

Tim Johnson, the South Dakota Democrat who wrote a bill to eliminate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, sat in the walnut-paneled chambers of the Senate Banking Committee yesterday and said Congress might never get rid of the two companies.

Johnson looked at Mel Watt, the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency who was testifying before the committee, and told him to terminate U.S. control of the two companies. That would end a six-year political battle over dissolving the two mortgage giants, giving them another chance to prove they can carry the home loan system as private companies.

If Congress cannot agree on a smooth, more certain path forward, I urge you, Director Watt, to engage the Treasury Department in talks to end the conservatorship, said Johnson, who is set to retire in December.

Shares of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are soaring on the news. After the hearing, Watt told reporters that he wouldnt rule out talks with Treasury about ending conservatorship in the long term. Fannie Mae shares rose 6.4 percent to $2.48 as of 10:29 a.m. in New York. Freddie Mac increased 8 percent to $2.42.

Johnson is the first lawmaker to publicly say that regulators may have to take control of the companies futures. He echoes the predictions of housing analysts that there is no chance the Republican leadership taking over the Senate will reach an agreement with Democrats and President Barack Obama to reform a system that guarantees affordable mortgages to most Americans. That would leave the overhaul to Watt, who has already begun to make a series of changes, from streamlining operations to transfers of mortgage-bond risk to private investors.

If we could get Congress to do something that would pass, it would be the best solution, said Clifford Rossi, a finance professor at the University of Marylands Robert H. Smith School of Business in College Park. But its clear that its highly unlikely, particularly after the midterm elections, that were going to get legislation again.

Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac, which buy mortgages and package them into bonds backed by a government guarantee, were seized by regulators in 2008 as losses on defaulted loans pushed them toward insolvency.

After a $187.5 billion taxpayer bailout, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rebounded and are now required to send the Treasury all of their profits. Theyve paid a combined $225.5 billion, which is counted as a return on the U.S. investment and not as repayment, leaving the government-sponsored enterprises without a legal avenue to exit conservatorship on their own. The U.S. government owns a 79 percent senior stake in the two companies.

The extent of Treasury and FHFAs power to free Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from government control is under debate.

Jim Parrott, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute and former housing-policy adviser to Obama, said Treasury and FHFA would need congressional approval to change the current system.

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Regulators Urged to Set Fannie-Freddie Free From U.S.

The Indian-American Democrat edged out his competition Republic Doug Ose by a narrow margin of 1,432 votes to represent Californias 7th Congressional District, reports Rediff.coms Aziz Haniffa.

He said he wouldnt give up and would continue fighting till the very end and on Thursday, he was all smiles as he emerged victorious in the United States mid-term elections.

Dr Amerish Ami Bera, a Democrat, retained the Californias 7th District seat, two weeks after the polls for ended.

On Thursday, the Registrar announced that Bera had a 1,432 vote lead over his opponent Republican Doug Ose, who served in Congress from 1999 to 2005.

An ecstatic Bera, who was present at Capitol Hills Congressional Diwali celebrations, said, Its been my honour serving this community as a doctor for the last 19 years and I am grateful that I will have the opportunity to continue serving as the representative for Californias 7th Congressional District in Congress.

On November 4, election night, even though all of the precincts reported that Ose had gotten a better start than incumbent Bera, the Democrat refused to concede defeat.

MUST READ:Clinton backs Ami Bera, calls him 'embodiment of American Dream'

At that point, he had told Rediff.com, I am not going to concede at all. It was going to be a tough one and this was always expected.

Bera pointed out, If you remember in the contest in 2012, we were tied and after the ballots were counted, we won by over 9,000 votes.

He added, The Registrar has tens of thousands of votes that havent even been counted.

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Ami Bera, only Indian-American in US Congress, wins tight race

Republican Crumbles Under Real Journalism
Watch More At: http://crooksandliars.com/cltv/2014/11/wingnut-refuses-admit-there-no Clip from the Wednesday, November 19th 2014 edition of The Kyle Kulinski Show, which airs live on Blog...

By: Secular Talk

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Republican Crumbles Under Real Journalism - Video

OMAHA, Neb. The three states crossed by the Republican River have agreed on a new approach to managing water in the disputed basin.

Officials in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas say the agreements on how the river's water will be managed this year and next year show they are taking a more cooperative approach.

"We are moving in the right direction to arrive at a workable solution that protects Kansas water users, but is balanced and fair to all parties and reflects good water management," Kansas Agriculture Secretary Jackie McClaskey said.

Disputes over the 1943 compact that spells out how much water each state is entitled to have wound up before the U.S. Supreme Court numerous times. Nebraska is entitled to 49 percent of the water, Kansas gets 40 percent and Colorado gets 11 percent.

In October, Nebraska and Kansas were arguing before the Supreme Court about how much Nebraska should pay Kansas for using more than its legal share of the river's water in 2005 and 2006.

These new agreements won't affect those past disputes, but they may help the states avoid future ones. The new terms will allow some of the water owed to Kansas farmers this year to be kept in the Harlan County Reservoir in Nebraska until Kansas officials request it.

Previously, the water would have been released this fall when farmers couldn't use it.

The new agreements also ensure Nebraska natural resource districts along the river will receive full credit for all the water being pumped into the river to help ensure enough water flows downstream to Kansas.

Over the past several years, the natural resource districts have bought thousands of acres of land along the Republican River and ended irrigation there. The water that had been used for irrigation is being pumped into the river to boost its flow.

Jasper Fanning, general manager of the Upper Republican Natural Resources District, said it's encouraging that the recent talks have been focused on making the best use of the river's water, not on old arguments and litigation.

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Republican River states pledge to cooperate more