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This week on Uprising:

* Does the Mark Foley Scandal Spell Doom for Republicans?
* Eve Ensler on her first non-fiction book, “Insecure at Last”
* US Interference in Nicaragua Elections* Empire Notes on American torture and impunity
* Black Agenda Report on Faith Based Initiatives and the Black Church

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Foley Scandal Grows

GUEST: John Nichols, co-founder of Free Press, author of many books including the forthcoming, “The Genius of Impeachment,” and a writer for the Nation Magazine

The scandal over Florida Republican Congressman Mark Foley’s resignation is continuing to impact the Republican Party. His resignation came after allegations surfaced over inappropriate emails and instant messenger conversations between the congressmen and teenage male pages. House Speaker Dennis Hastert initially said that he was surprised when the allegations first surfaced. However, two Republican Congressmen have noted that they alerted Hastert’s office regarding the 2005 emails. The House Ethics Committee just voted to issue 44 subpoenas as it began an investigation. Meanwhile Hastert finally accepted responsibility for his handling of the situation but vowed to remain in office. Meanwhile, Mark Foley, who co-chaired the Congressional Caucus for Missing and Exploited Children, checked himself into an alcohol treatment facility.

Empire Notes on American Torture and Impunity

GUEST: Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade

Empire Notes are weekly commentaries filed by Rahul Mahajan, author of Full Spectrum Dominance and The New Crusade. Today’s commentary is about American Torture and Impunity.

Empire Notes is online at www.empirenotes.org.

Eve Ensler – Insecure at Last

GUEST: Eve Ensler, award winning playwright of the Vagina Monologues, founder of V-Day, and author of “Insecure at Last: Losing It in Our Security-Obsessed World”

At a time when the words “Orange Alert” have entered our daily lexicon, and the Bush administration’s “war on terror” has turned into a “war of terror,” acclaimed playwright Eve Ensler brings us a much-needed perspective with her latest book: “Insecure at Last: Losing It in Our Security-Obsessed World.” Eve Ensler is an internationally acclaimed playwright whose previous works for the stage include Floating Rhoda and the Glue Man, Lemonade, Necessary Targets, The Vagina Monologues, and The Good Body. She is the founder and artistic director of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls that was inspired by The Vagina Monologues. In eight years V-Day has raised more than $35 million for grassroots groups around the world. In her book, “Insecure At Last,” Eve Ensler draws on her personal experiences and candid interviews with women in Afghanistan, female prisoners in New York, Katrina survivors, and anti-war mom Cindy Sheehan. Through these experiences, she chronicles a post-9/11 existence in which our obsession for safety and security has undermined our humanity. For more information, visit www.vday.org.

Black Agenda Report on Faith Based Initiatives and the Black Church

GUEST: Glen Ford is a writer and radio commentator, formerly with the Black Commentator. He is now affiliated with ‘The Black Agenda Report.’

This week’s commentary is called:

“Study Shows Uneven Faith-Based Initiative Penetration of Black Churches”

There’s a mixture of good news, bad news, ironic news and just plain curious news, in the recent findings of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. The Washington-based outfit, broadly considered the most influential Black-led research organization, found that only about two-and-a-half percent of Black churches are currently getting money from the Bush regime’s Faith-Based Initiative programs.

Read the entire commentary at:

Black Agenda Radio on Black Churches

US Interference in Nicaragua Elections

GUEST: Tom Loudon, co-Director of the Quixote Center live from Managua, Jennifer Atlee, also with the Quixote Center, live from Washington DC

During a recent three day visit to Central America, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refused to field questions about Nicaragua’s elections and in particular, the Nicaraguan presidential candidate and former president Daniel Ortega. Rumsfeld is in the region for an international meeting of defense ministers of the Western hemisphere. He told reporters, “I don’t get involved in politics in the United States, so you can be certain I don’t get involved in politics in Nicaragua.” In spite of this, Rumsfeld met with the current Nicaraguan president Enrique Bolanos during his stay. Nicaraguans will head to the polls on November 5th to elect a new President. Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista Front for National Liberation, or FSLN, is currently the leading candidate. Despite Rumsfeld’s denial, a delegation of activists and academics is traveling to Nicaragua to investigate US intervention in the upcoming elections. A previous delegation in June condemned the US role among civil society organizations and political parties in Nicaragua. In particular, US Ambassador Paul Trivelli has called Daniel Ortega a “tiger who hasn’t changed his stripes,” and has alluded to a “reevaluation,” of the US’ relationship to Nicaragua should Ortega win the election.

To sign the Quixote Center’s petition, visit quest.quixote.org.

Sonali’s Subversive Thought for the Day:

“To change an oppressive social system, the only need is the existence of a man with a minimum of dignity.” – Augusto Cesar Sandino