- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE --

5TH DISTRICT INDEPENDENT FILES FOR U.S. HOUSE ELECTION

  7/7/2008         Contact:  Jim Holbert for Congress Committee, 606-682-9337 / 606-862-2092

(London, KY  7/7/2008)-- 

            Jim Holbert, Independent candidate for the Kentucky 5th Congressional District U.S. House of Representatives seat, filed his nominating petition with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office in Frankfort on Monday.  The filing is the means to put Holbert on the ballot in the 5th District for the November 4 General Election for Congress.  Holbert's candidacy has been on record with the Federal Election Commission since March, and he has been actively conducting a grassroots campaign in the District on a progressive, populist platform.    

Holbert outlines his positions, saying, "We've got to stop 'politics as usual' and start bringing common sense to our regional and national problems.  We need trade and industrial policies that will bring back good middle-class jobs.  We must start enforcing the existing laws which are supposed to protect Americans from such problems as illegal immigration and unsafe job conditions.  And we've got to de-fund and defeat the forces behind terrorism through smarter oil, energy and economic policies.  We won't do it through open-ended wars.  Our stated objectives in Iraq and Afghanistan have been achieved, and it's time to bring our troops home."    

            Holbert, who resides with his family in Laurel County, is a former Army and Coast Guard officer who works as an Emergency Medical Service helicopter pilot in southeast Kentucky.  His campaign has a website, www.jimholbert2008.com, and may also be reached by telephone at 606-862-2092. 

--Petition Drive News--June 14--  Jim's nominating petition drive is entering the home stretch as he continues to meet Fifth District voters, hear their concerns about the challenges facing our region and our Country, and ask  for their vote and support.  Jim's Campaign is on track to meet our goal of filing Jim's nominating petition with the Secretary of State in Frankfort in July. 
     Jim says "Thank you very much!" to the folks who are volunteering their time and effort to help in the petition drive. 
--June 11--Health Care Questionnaire-- Jim responded to the Research!America health care issues questionnaire for Congressional and other candidates running in the November 4, 2008 General Election.  You may see Jim's stand on health care issues by going to the Research!America questionnaire website:  www.yourcandidatesyourhealth.org.  On this website, Fifth District voters may enter their zip code to bring up a list of candidates; then click on Jim Holbert's name to see Jim's answers to questions about health care
 --On the Campaign Trail-- On Saturday, May 10, Jim visited the Redbud Folklife Festival held at the Bennett Center in London, where he met and talked with many of the craftspersons, artisans, and artists who made the Festival such a great attraction.  "Thank you" to the Festival organizers for their great work and enthusiasm in bringing our Kentucky heritage to life in London this year, and for the opportunity to meet and talk with the people of the 5th District. 
--On Monday, April 28, the following letter by Jim was published in the Corbin Times-Tribune:

     John McCain's visit to Inez last Tuesday [April 22] was a great opportunity for the Republican establishment candidate to get some Appalachia-visit media coverage, trot out the usual excuses for a failing American economy, and attempt to explain why four to eight more years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan would be a good thing.  That rhetoric is worn out.  The American people need better ideas, and we need them now.
     McCain couldn't do anything better in Inez than repeat the "new economy" line that's destroyed American manufacturing self-sufficiency, lost us millions of good-paying jobs, brought on continual trade deficits with many foreign countries, made the rich richer, and squeezed the middle class.  The UMW members who protested at McCain's speech got it right.   
     McCain also continues to be a staunch advocate of the Bush approach to "defending America," namely:  Foreign wars without objectives and without end, which cost the lives and health of our Armed Forces members, bankrupts our Country, causes skyrocketing inflationary price increases in gas, food, and other basic commodities, and benefits war contractors at taxpayer expense.
     The "new economy" concepts of "free trade," "globalization," and the "knowledge-based economy" that have been sold to our people have clearly proved to be a bonanza for the giant corporate interests with no loyalty to America, and a disaster for the vast majority of Americans--working people, small business owners, and professionals--that have seen their situation stagnate.  "New economy" theory promises many national and individual benefits, but the reality has proved to be very different.   
     As for defeating terrorism directed against America, there are better, cheaper and surer ways to proceed than engaging in endless wars of attrition that play into our enemies' hands.  American money for imported Middle East oil is the fuel that runs the engine of terrorism.  Common-sense energy and industrial policies could liberate America from Middle East oil dependence, bring back good, stable, middle-class jobs to American workers, and do far more to defeat those who make war by terrorism than the "endless war" approach that Bush started and McCain wants to continue. 
     Despite what we hear from corporatists, academics, politicians, and media pundits, the fact is that things don't have to be the way they are, and we the American people, in a democratic Republic, have the power to make things different.  Let me repeat:  America needs better ideas than it's getting from the "business-as-usual, same-old, same-old" crowd in Washington. 

--Jim Holbert, candidate for Congress, London     

--On the Campaign Trail-- On Saturday, April 26, Jim visited the Master Gardener Garden and Flower Show held at the London Community Center, Old Fashioned Trading Days in Mt. Vernon, and the Mill Springs Battlefield Association Living History Artillery experience in Nancy.  (See some photos, below.)  At each of these events, Jim enjoyed talking with folks about their views on the issues.  "Thank you" to the organizers of these events for their hospitality and for the opportunity to meet with the people of the 5th District. 

--On Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Jim Holbert was a guest at the Cumberland Valley Area Development District luncheon meeting held at the CVADD headquarters on Old Whitley Road in London.  Jim introduced himself as the Independent candidate to represent Kentucky's 5th District in Congress and met and talked with many of the District's board members.  Thanks to Mr. Mike Patrick, CVADD Executive Director, for the invitation to attend.

--See the Corbin Times-Tribune of 4-16-08 for information about Jim's tour of Union College's Energy Conservation Initiative.

--On Friday, April 12, 2008, Jim Holbert visited Union College in Barbourville for a tour of the College's Energy Conservation Initiative project, completed in 2007.  The tour was provided by UC's Chief Financial Officer Steve Hoskins and Physical Plant Director Rick Richardson.  The centerpiece of the Initiative is the geothermal energy well field (consisting of 108 300-foot geothermal wells) which now provides alternative-energy heating and cooling to much of UC's physical plant.  This Union College project is an outstanding example of how alternative energy sources can economically reduce or eliminate U. S. dependence on fossil fuels for many energy applications.   Note:  This story ran in the Corbin Times-Tribune on 4-16-08.

--  On 3-17-08, Jim Holbert  announced his Independent candidacy for Congress from Kentucky's 5th Congressional District.  
As of 10:10 p.m. EST 3-17-08 , the story can be seen at:   http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/16748746.html --

-- Jim Holbert's Independent Campaign for Congress was featured on the front page of the London, KY Sentinel-Echo Newspaper on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 --

--Jim Holbert interview featured on the front page of the  Corbin Times-Tribune  March 20, 2008.
Please see link:  http://www.thetimestribune.com/local/local_story_080091756.html