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This week on Uprising:

* As Major Demonstrations Rock Europe, Lessons Abound for American Workers
* Black Agenda Report on Black Exclusion from Capitalism
* The Impact of Tea Party Primary Wins
* Mexico’s Bicentennial: The Drug War, NAFTA, the Economy, and the US Role

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As Major Demonstrations Rock Europe, Lessons Abound for American Workers

A series of major pan-European general strikes have been planned for the end of this month protesting pension-cutting austerity plans. In the lead-up to the strike, there have been a series of major street protests and shutdowns over the summer in France, Greece, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Britain, Romania, and other nations. Tens of thousands of rank-and-file union members in Greece shut down the country for 2 days in early May over pension reforms, and a major demonstration in Athens ended violently with 3 people being killed. Last weekend, Greek unions turned out in droves in Thessaloniki, where Prime Minister Papandreou gave his annual economic speech and was attacked by one angry protester who hurled a shoe above his head. In France, unions took to the streets in late June, also over pension cuts, and in early September launched massive street protests against a proposal to raise the retirement age. In Spain, in late June, rail workers in Madrid went on a 3-day strike, bringing the city to a standstill to protest austerity measures.

GUEST: Steven Hill, author of the new book “Europe’s Promise: Why The European Way Is The Best Hope In An Insecure Age”

Find out more at www.europespromise.org.

Black Agenda Report on Black Exclusion from Capitalism

Glen Ford is a writer and radio commentator and the Executive Editor of The Black Agenda Report. This week’s commentary is on Black Exclusion from Capitalism.

Visit www.blackagendareport.com for more information.

The Impact of Tea Party Primary Wins

September 14th marked the last big Tuesday primary elections before November, with 7 states going to the polls. Republicans have been more enthusiastic about voting in this year’s primaries than Democrats. That was the finding of a Gallup Poll in August and it has been the reality during the 2010 primary season. A report by the Center for the Study of the American Electorate found that for the first time since the 1930s Republican voters have turned-out for primary elections in higher numbers than Democrats. It is estimated that nationwide just below 20% of eligible voters will cast a ballot in mid-term primary races this year, an improvement over the 2006 primaries, when only 17% of voters participated. Republicans have been galvanized to vote after losing the White House in 2008, and by the challenge to the GOP establishment coming from far-right candidates backed by Tea Partiers and Sarah Palin. Election results are in and Christine O’Donnell won the Republican nomination for Senate in Delaware. O’Donnell had the backing of Sarah Palin but earlier in the race her lack of experience and revelations about personal financial problems had the GOP saying O’Donnell, “Couldn’t be elected dog catcher”. In New York Carl Paladino beat former Congressman Rick Lazio to run in the Republican ticket for Governor against Incumbent Andrew Cuomo. In August dozens of emails forwarded to friends by Paladino were leaked to the media. They contained hardcore pornographic images and racist images of President Barack Obama and Black people. One picture made it look as though the President and First Lady were waking down a red carpet dressed as a pimp and prostitute. In New Hampshire the race is still too close to call for GOP candidates in the Senate primary. Incumbent Attorney General Kelly Ayotte is running against Tea Party backed Ovide Lamontagne. Sarah Palin surprised her base when she endorsed Ayotte over Lamontagne.

GUEST: John Nichols, political writer for the Nation, co-founder of Free Press

Read John Nichols’ latest piece here: http://www.thenation.com/blog/154731/can-grand-old-tea-party-win-november

Mexico’s Bicentennial: The Drug War, NAFTA, the Economy, and the US Role

Thursday September 16th marked the 200th anniversary of the day Mexico began its war against Spain for Independence. This year is also the 100th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution and today we spend the hour on Mexico’s politics, history, and art.

The traditional El Grito celebration on the eve of Mexican independence day was severely toned down in the city of Juarez as well as other cities where increased violence has cast a pall on the festivities. In this special focus on Mexico’s bi-centennial, we’ll examine the politics behind the drug violence and how it relates to NAFTA, the North-America Free Trade Agreement, and the US-backed drug war in Mexico. More than 15 years ago, a crucial article in Mexico’s constitution was removed, which guaranteed land redistribution particularly to Mexico’s indigenous and poor people. The move came as a condition of the North America Free Trade Agreement – an agreement between the US, Mexico, and Canada, that promised to boost the economies of all three countries. However, Mexico’s economy paid the biggest price, resulting in widespread impoverishment, a great migration of workers north of the border to the US, the rise of the drug trade and mafia, and ultimately a militarization of the border with enthusiastic support from the US government. Under Mexico’s current President, Feliipe Calderon, nearly 30,000 people have been killed in the war between government forces and drug traffickers. It has been well documented that US weapons are used on both sides of the war. Just days ago, 25 people were killed in drug-related violence in Juarez – the deadliest such day in 3 years. In late August the bodies of 72 migrants were found shot dead likely while on their way to the US – one of Mexico’s major drug cartels is suspected of carrying out the massacre. Weeks later, the bodies of two missing law enforcement officials investigating the murdered were found. In light of such violence, Manuel Perez-Rocha a contributor to Foreign Policy in Focus, writes “millions of Mexicans like me feel skeptical and unenthusiastic about cheering for either our independence or our revolution.”

GUEST: Manuel Perez-Rocha, contributor to Foreign Policy in Focus and an associate fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies

Read Manuel Perez-Rocha’s article on Mexico’s Bicentennial here: http://www.fpif.org/articles/dont_celebrate_mexicos_independenceyet

Sonali’s Subversive Thought for the Day

“Wisdom lies neither in fixity, nor in change but in the dialectic between the two.” — Octavio Paz