Welcome to the Metro Political Report
The Metro Political Report web site is the home page for the weekly political email calendar detailing Republican events around Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, and beyond. Sent out once a week starting on Wednesday night, the Metro Political Report allows Republican activists to learn more about the upcoming events in their area as well as information regarding current elected officials, political candidates, and general topics of interest in the news. Independent of outside control, the MPR strives to be a balanced resource for individuals seeking Republican events and updates without excess spin, fluff, or bias.

Thank you for taking the time to visit our site. We hope you find it to be of service

TO HAVE YOUR EVENT OR NEWS ITEM PUBLISHED IN THE METRO POLITICAL REPORT, PLEASE SEND YOUR INFORMATION TO MPRATLANTA@METROPOLITICALREPORT.COM BY 7:00 P.M. WEDNESDAY TO HAVE IT PUBLISHED IN THE CURRENT WEEK'S EDITION. SUBMISSIONS MAY BE EDITED FOR SPACE

TO VIEW A PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION OF THE METRO POLITICAL REPORT, CLICK HERE

CHEROKEE COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN SALUTE TO VETERANS: Cherokee County "Salute to Our Veterans" (STOV) is organizing a one day trip in July of 2008 to Washington DC to visit the WWII Memorial for 20 WWII Veterans and guardians from Cherokee County. They will visit the memorial dedicated to WWII Veterans for their unselfish service to our country. The trip will be managed thru the National Honor Flight program. For additional information please contact: Lori Pesta, 678-520-2236.

DEKALB YOUNG REPUBLICANS: The DeKalb Young Republicans will meet on July 29th starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Dunwoody Houlihan's. Special guest will be Michael Rothenberg, candidate for Superior Cout Judge. For more information, visit http://home.dekalbgop.org/2006/.

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FULTON COUNTY ELECTION POLL WORKERS NEEDED: (from Fulton County Commissioner Lynne Riley) Are you interested in serving your community, making new friends, and earning extra money? Apply to become one the many civic-minded citizens who work at the polls on Election Day. Each poll worker hired will be required to attend a four-hour training session prior to working the polls. Participants will be paid for attending training. You must be a resident of Fulton County.

• Clerk /Greeter $ 175.00 • Assistant Mgr $ 200.00 • Chief Manager $ 250.00 • Dual Manager $ 275.00 • Special Assistant $ 215.00

Poll worker application forms may be found at the Fulton County website www.myfultoncountyga.gov or www.LynneRiley.com

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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA COLLEGE REPUBLICANS ALUMNI REQUEST: The University of Georgia College Republicans are looking to re-connect with alumni of the Chapter. We want to be able to update past members about upcoming events of the chapters, happenings, and other fun events like tailgates for football games. If you attended the University and want to be included please send your information to Greg Wilson at gjwilsoncr@gmail.com.

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expanded website information

SENATOR JOHNNY ISAKSON E-NEWSLETTER SIGN UP & WEBSITE: I am pleased to offer you the opportunity to receive weekly updates from my federal office each week the U.S. Senate is in session. Please visit http://www.isakson.senate.gov/newsletter.html to sign up today to receive a quick, informative report on my activities in Washington and around Georgia.

SENATOR SAXBY CHAMBLISS CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: In 2008, two of the biggest elections in Georgia will be for President and for the re-election of Senator Saxby Chambliss. Get involved with the Chambliss for Senate campaign by visiting his new website at http://www.saxby.org.

CONGRESSMAN TOM PRICE UPDATED WEBSITE: Please visit our federal website at www.house.gov/tomprice for information on various services that the Congressional office can provide to the constituents of the 6th District such as tours of the Capitol, internships, fly a flag over the capitol, legislation and so much more.

LT GOVERNOR CASEY CAGLE COMMUNITY SERVICE WEBSITE: (from Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle) I am excited to announce that this week we officially launched our new website, CaseyCagle.com, and the Seven Ways to Serve initiative. This dynamic, interactive resource will act as an ideas clearinghouse for volunteers and organizations to promote community service projects throughout our state. Our new website helps organizations publicize their community service projects, and helps volunteers find service opportunities in their own communities. An interactive map allows volunteers to click on one of seven Georgia regions to find community service projects in their area. Organizations can also post their videos and pictures of service in action.

SECRETARY OF STATE KAREN HANDEL UPDATED WEBSITES: Secretary of State Karen Handel has two new websites up and running for the citizens of Georgia. For those needing vital information on issues related to the Secretary of State, visit http://sos.georgia.gov. For information on Secretary Handel's political and public functions, visit http://www.karenhandel.com.

SENATOR DAVID SHAFER'S POLITICAL WEBSITE: Senator David Shafer (District 48-North Fulton and Gwinnett) maintains a political website at http://www.votedavid.com/. Please visit the site to learn more about David and sign up for his "District Update" newsletter.

SENATOR DAVID SHAFER'S LEGISLATIVE BLOG. Called "A Diary of the 2007 Legislative Session," Senator David Shafer has launched a legislative blog. Visit http://www.davidshafer.org/ to get the inside story about what is happening under the Gold Dome.

SAVING THE CURE DOT COM: This website has complete information about Senate Bill 148, the Saving the Cure Act, introduced by Senator David Shafer and 29 other Senate Republicans to encourage umbilical cord blood collection and promote "non-destructive stem cell research." To learn more about this initiative, visit http://www.savingthecure.com/.

REFORMING GRADY DOT ORG: This website has information about legislation by Senator David Shafer to reform the governance of Grady Memorial Hospital. For more information, visit: http://www.reforminggrady.org.

REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP FUND: Senator David Shafer serves as Honorary Chairman of the Republican Leadership Fund, a political action committee formed in 2004 to support Republican legislative candidates. For more information, visit the RLF's website at http://www.rlfga.org.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE STEVE DAVIS BLOG: Henry County's Steve Davis has a blog on the day to day activities of the 2007 Legislative Session. Click on http://www.steve-davis.org/blog/ for more information.

GEORGIA LEGISLATIVE WATCH: Interested in the 2007 Georgia State Legislature? Do you wish that there was a site that would break down proposed legislation in a easy to use format? The Georgia Legislative Watch is an informative site that summarizes bills and provides the background information on the who/what/where of bills before the Georgia House and Senate. Visit http://www.gabills.com today.

FULTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER LYNNE RILEY WEBSITE: Lynne Riley, Fulton County Commission District 3, has a general information website for interested constituents. Visit http://www.lynneriley.com for more information.

SENATOR JUDSON HILL'S WEBSITE: Senator Judson Hill invites you to view his website at www.judsonhill.com detailing his activities at the Capitol and his positions on specific legislation relating to Sandy Springs and East Cobb.

REPUBLICAN LIBERTY CAUCUS OF GEORGIA: Founded in 1990, and chartered here in Georgia in 2002, the Republican Liberty Caucus works to advance the principles of limited government, free markets and individual liberty within the Republican Party. For more information, visit their new website at www.gopliberty.org.

GOVERNOR SONNY PERDUE--WEEK IN REVIEW: Governor Sonny Perdue—Week in Review is a publication put out by the Governor’s Communication Office for citizens who have expressed an interest in following the Governor’s public policy initiatives. It is an up-to-date and in-depth perspective of the happenings at the Capitol and around the state that we use to effectively manage the workload. If you know of someone who should be receiving Governor Sonny Perdue—Week in Review, please have him or her email Daryl Moody at dmoody@gov.state.ga.us with the word “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject line.

CHEROKEE COUNTY REPUBLICAN WOMEN: The Cherokee County Republican Women website offers many new items: www.ccrwcga.com including a candidate page and a volunteer page for anyone who'd like to assist a candidate. If anyone would like to have their information added to the candidate pages please send the information to CCRWC@hotmail.com or 678-520-2236.

NORTH FULTON YOUNG REPUBLICANS: Please note that the North Fulton Young Republicans (NFYR) meetings are postponed until further notice. We are seeking a new location to hold any future meetings. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. In addition, we are seeking enthusiastic, politically active and motivated members of the North Fulton community to continue growth of our organization. If interested, please contact Stacey Shorr at gopstacey@comcast.net or Josh Shorr at gopshorrs@comcast.net.

NORTH FULTON REPUBLICAN WOMEN: The North Fulton Republican Women have a new website at http://www.nfrwc.org/ . Click to learn more about this very active organization.

REPRESENTATIVE CHUCK MARTIN'S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE WEBSITE: Representative Charles E. "Chuck" Martin (District 47--North Fulton/Alpharetta/Roswell) has created an interactive website regarding the 2005 Legislative session. This site also details specifically with issues and bills related to North Fulton. Get up to the moment news from the Gold Dome directly from Chuck! For more information, visit http://www.martinforgeorgia.com.

LIVE OAK REPUBLICANS WEBSITE: Organized to support state and local Republican candidates, the Live Oak Republicans post a schedule of their upcoming events at http://www.liveoakrepublicans.com/. The site will also let you sign up for their email newsletter.

DEKALB YOUNG REPUBLICANS: If you are between the ages of 18 and 40, the Dekalb Young Republicans needs your commitment to promote Republican ideals, volunteer and recruit GOP candidates, enjoy fellowship, and do volunteer projects in the community! Please contact Brian, 404-433-7490 for more information.

THE OTHER ATHENS BLOG: Athens-Clarke County has a new blog detailing political events from a Republican perspective. Visit "The Other Athens" at
http://theotherathens.blogspot.com/.

TEENAGE REPUBLICANS OF GEORGIA: The Teenage Republicans of Georgia have a new website up and running. For more information, visit http://www.georgiatrs.com.

DOUGLAS COUNTY TEEN REPUBLICANS: The Teenage Republicans of Douglas County have a new website which can be seen at http://www.douglastars.com.

BUCKHEAD YOUNG REPUBLICANS: The Buckhead YRs have been recognized for having the Best Club Website in the nation by the Young Republican National Federation. Visit the site at http://www.buckheadyr.org.

LINDA HERREN'S GEORGIA RNC WEBPAGE: Linda Herren, Georgia's RNC Committeewoman, has an interesting new site dedicated to information regarding the Republican National Committee. For more information, visit http://www.lindaherren.org.

SENATOR JOHN DOUGLAS WEBSITE: Senator John Douglas invites you to visit him at his web page at http://www.senatorjohndouglas.com.

SENATOR DAN MOODY WEBSITE: Senator Dan Moody from North Fulton has a new website where he invites you to learn more about his work for the citizens of Georgia. For more information, visit http://www.senatormoody.com.

"FRIENDS OF DAVID SHAFER" AT YAHOO GROUPS: Friends and supporters of Senator David Shafer have formed an email group at Yahoo Groups. Join this unofficial club of Shafer fans at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsofdavidshafer/

"FRIENDS OF DAVID SHAFER" AT FACEBOOK DOT COM: Supporters of Senator David Shafer have formed a Facebook group at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2269526899

GEORGIA GOP WEBSITE "SUGGEST AN EVENT": The Georgia Republican Party has a new feature on its website. It is an event request link that enables you to submit an event to The GaGOP’s website calendar of events. Please visit our website at www.gagop.org to see the submission field. If you have an event or meeting that you would like to have posted, please click on “suggest an event” under The Events column on our home page and fill out the required fields. We hope this added feature helps and thank you for all your hard work.

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE WEBSITE: The Republican National Committee has rolled out the redesign of their flagship website www.GOP.com. The new GOP.com features news and information, exclusive commentary from Republican leaders, in-depth looks at issues and candidates, and opportunities for you to grow the Party and spread the President's hopeful agenda. Visit www.GOP.com and take a tour of the new features. The new blog provides an interactive forum for you to read the news of the day, share your comments with others, and discuss ways to grow the Party with other online activists. In addition to the blog, the new site features:

* The Action Center - Tools to register and recruit other supporters, to share your thoughts with talk radio and newspaper editors, contact your members of congress, and support the efforts of the GOP. Taking action has never been easier.
* Lincoln's Legacy - The history of the Republican Party and our record of civil rights achievements. Republican historian Michael Zak sets the record straight and tells the story of GOP outreach over the past 150 years.
* The Research News Stand - The RNC Research department produces volumes of information to set the record straight. Check back often so you're armed with the latest and most thorough info when engaged in a debate with your liberal friends.
* GOP.com To Go - Want to keep up with the multimedia content from GOP.com? Own an mp3 or video player? Then GOP.com To Go will provide you with our latest Podcasts and Videocasts to go. Wireside and BookCast, our Podcast series featuring interviews with authors and conservative leaders can bedownloaded directly to your device and viewed or heard while you work out or commute.
* State Party Information - Want to get involved locally? Our homepage features easy access to your state party. Contact information and the latest news from the states are easy to find.

This website, the information it provides, and the tools for activism contained within, allow you to be the difference not just in campaigns, but in the enactment of legislation and policies for our nation that lift and inspire the individual, and create opportunity for all Americans.

DO YOU HAVE A REPUBLICAN OR COMMUNITY EVENT IN YOUR AREA THAT YOU WANT TO BE FEATURED IN THE METRO POLITICAL REPORT? SEND DETAILS TO MPRATLANTA@METROPOLITICALREPORT.COM BY 7:00 P.M. WEDNESDAY FOR INCLUSION IN THE CURRENT WEEK'S EDITION

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election update from secretary of state karen handel

Secretary of State Karen Handel Reminds Voters to Bring Photo ID to Advance Voting

Atlanta—Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel reminds all voters participating in the upcoming General Primary Election that in-person advance voting will begin Monday, July 7 and end Friday, July 11, 2008. Voters participating in the election during advance voting week or on Election Day will be required to show one of the following six forms of photo ID:

* A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;
* Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);
* Valid U.S. passport;
* Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;
* Valid U.S. military photo ID; or
* Valid tribal photo ID.

If a voter does not have one of these forms of photo identification, they can obtain a free voter ID card at their county registrar’s office or the Georgia Department of Driver Services.

Anyone with additional questions about Georgia’s photo ID requirement can visit www.GAPhotoID.com or call toll free (877) 725-9797. To find advance voting locations in your county, please contact your county registrar’s office. Contact information can be found on the 2008 Election Center website: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm.

Voters can request an absentee ballot through Friday, July 11, 2008. All absentee ballots must be received by the county registrar on Election Day, Tuesday, July 15, 2008. Photo identification is not required when voting by mail. To download an absentee ballot request form, please visit http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm.

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, 2008. Voters can find voter registration information, including polling locations and legislative districts, by visiting http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm or by calling (888) 265-1115.

2008 Election Dates:

July 7- July 11, 2008: Advance voting for General Primary
July 15, 2008: Election Day for General Primary

July 28- August 1, 2008: Advance Voting for General Primary Runoff
August 5, 2008: Election Day for General Primary Runoff

August 8, 2008: Deadline to register to vote or change address for Special Election
September 8- September 12, 2008: Advance voting for Special Election
September 16, 2008: Election Day for Special Election
September 29- October 3, 2008: Advance Voting for Special Election Runoff
October 7, 2008: Election Day for Special Election Runoff
October 6, 2008: Deadline to register to vote or change address for General Election
October 27- October 31, 2008: Advance voting for General Election
November 4, 2008: Election Day for General Election

November 24- November 28, 2008: Advance Voting for General Election Runoff
December 2, 2008: Election Day for General Election Runoff

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georgia public policy foundation commentary

Nuclear Power Re-energized in Georgia

By Sean Wilson

As Georgia continues to grow and thrive, it needs power generation capable of sustaining that growth. But the options seem to be shrinking among the body politic for varying environmental, economic and aesthetic reasons.

Opponents cite environmental objections to coal, an abundant, reliable source that generates more than half the nation’s energy and now, thanks to technological advances, is 70 percent cleaner. Hydropower remains a miniscule part of the solution amid ongoing interstate disputes over water allocation and the state’s water shortages. Many people think wind power is fine – as long as the invasive windmills are in someone else’s backyard. Unfortunately, Georgia’s short on sustained winds. Natural gas is used largely for peak power production because it’s a costly alternative. Finally, while solar power is becoming more cost-effective, the technology has yet to reach the economies of scale needed to make it a viable large-scale alternative.

Then there’s nuclear power. The industry is governed by an enormously expensive and dense regulatory and security framework designed to safeguard the general public. Since the 1978 accident at Three Mile Island and the 2001 terrorist attacks, regulations and licensing have grown increasingly stringent. Despite the advances in safety and security, no new units have begun construction since 1973. Abroad, especially in France and Japan, nuclear energy has flourished.

Now, however, several factors favor a nuclear renaissance. The first is President Bush’s approval of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which includes significant incentives for the industry to expand output:

*Up to $2 billion in cost-overrun support for a maximum of six new plants
*Production tax credit of 1.8 cents per kilowatt-hour (up to $125 million total per year) during the first eight years of operation for the first six megawatts (MW) of capacity $3 billion in research subsidies
*20-year extension of liability caps for accidents
*Federal loan guarantees for new plant construction

Furthermore, in recent years the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has streamlined its licensing processes. No longer can endless appeals and challenges from organizations such as Greenpeace hold up plants indefinitely. A $917 million 2008 budget for the NRC supports new reactor design and project implementation. Then, there are fading memories of Three Mile Island, state incentives for new projects (10 reactors are slated for Texas alone), and popular concern with climate issues.

Georgia currently has two nuclear power plants: Vogtle and Hatch. Hatch’s two units produce about 8 percent of Georgia’s electricity, while Vogtle’s two units produce about 15 percent of Georgia’s electricity.

Now Southern Nuclear – a subsidiary of Southern Co. that runs the Georgia plants – has applied to construct two additional units at Plant Vogtle. Georgia Power signed an agreement in April to procure two new reactors designed by a Westinghouse/Shaw Group consortium, making it the first agreement for new nuclear development since Three Mile Island (pending approval by the Georgia Public Service Commission). If all goes well, construction may begin as early as 2010, with power flowing to Georgians in 2015.

The reactor design approved by the NRC in 2005, each AP1000 is a pressurized water reactor capable of producing a net 1,117 MW. (The two units will nearly double the plant’s generation capability). The advanced safety systems utilize what is known as passive protection: Gravity and natural recirculation cool the system, eliminating the need for active pumps, which can fail or break. The relatively simple (for a nuclear reactor) design makes the AP1000 cheaper; it is less expensive to build, operate and maintain. And the footprint is smaller.

A generation ago, the nuclear industry was demonized by environmentalists as “the child of mass destruction, the spawner of waste that will remain dangerous for millennia.” Today, environmentalists such as Patrick Moore (Greenpeace founder) see nuclear power as part of the solution to the greenhouse effect. The nuclear industry has been adding to its “green” credentials by including eco-friendly designs and initiatives. Vogtle’s Web site, for example, notes: “Vogtle has been certified by The Wildlife Habitat Council since 1993 for wildlife enhancement and conservation efforts.”

The industry remains enormously expensive relative to coal and notorious for cost overruns: Vogtle’s original estimate was $975 million for four reactors; for various reasons, the final price tag was about $9 billion for two reactors. This time around, there is hope that things may be different. The AP1000 is designed to be ready for fuel load 36 months after concrete begins pouring, a considerably shorter time than earlier generations of reactors. This, along with more standardized equipment, reduces the capital costs for Vogtle, making it more economically competitive. Innovative financing options could make the cost even more palatable to ratepayers.

According to the Nuclear Energy Institute, Vogtle “had the fifth-lowest cost in the United States,” at 1.33 cents per kWh. If a cap-and-trade system is implemented by the next president, nuclear energy will become still more competitive with coal. And Georgia will have energized its future.

Sean Wilson, a senior at Georgia Tech majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in Economics, is an intern at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. The Foundation is an independent think tank that proposes practical, market-oriented approaches to public policy to improve the lives of Georgians. Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before the U.S. Congress or the Georgia Legislature.

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final note

NOTE TO REPUBLICAN ELECTED OFFICIALS, CANDIDATES, AND COMMUNITY LEADERS: YOU TOO CAN BE FEATURED IN THE METRO POLITICAL REPORT. INFORMATION AND ARTICLES SHOULD BE SENT TO EDITOR@METROPOLITICALREPORT.COM FOR CONSIDERATION IN THE WEEKLY EMAIL.