Patrick O'Laughlin

[Texas Bubba @rwellis2831]

Concerning Social Security payments, my contributions were made for over 40 years on every salary I received. Those jobs may not have always been the work I wanted to be doing at the time, BUT I always had a job.
The Social Security check is now (or soon will be) referred to as a "Federal Benefit Payment?" I'll be part of the one percent to forward this. I am forwarding it because it touches a nerve in me, and I hope it will in you. Please keep passing it on until everyone in our country has read it.
The government is now referring to our Social Security checks as a "Federal Benefit Payment." This isn't a benefit. It is our money paid out of our earned income! Not only did we all contribute to Social Security but our employers did too. It totaled 15% of our income before taxes.
If you averaged $30K per year over your working life, that's close to $180,000 invested in Social Security.
If you calculate the future value of your monthly investment in social security ($375/month, including both you and your employers contributions) at a meager 1% interest rate compounded monthly, after 40 years of working you'd have more than $1.3+ million dollars saved!
This is your personal investment. Upon retirement, if you took out only 3% per year, you'd receive $39,318 per year, or $3,277 per month.
That's almost three times more than today's average Social Security benefit of $1,230 per month, according to the Social Security Administration. (Google it – it’s a fact).
And your retirement fund would last more than 33 years (until you're 98 if you retire at age 65)! I can only imagine how much better most average-income people could live in retirement if our government had just invested our money in low-risk interest-earning accounts.
Instead, the folks in Washington pulled off a bigger "Ponzi scheme" than Bernie Madoff ever did. They took our money and used it elsewhere. They forgot (oh yes, they knew) that it was OUR money they were taking. They didn't have a referendum to ask us if we wanted to lend the money to them. And they didn't pay interest on the debt they assumed. And recently they've told us that the money won't support us for very much longer.
But is it our fault they misused our investments? And now, to add insult to injury, they're calling it a "benefit", as if we never worked to earn every penny of it.
Just because they borrowed the money doesn't mean that our investments were a charity!
Let's take a stand. We have earned our right to Social Security and Medicare. Demand that our legislators bring some sense into our government.
Find a way to keep Social Security and Medicare going for the sake of that 92% of our population who need it.
Then call it what it is: Our Earned Retirement Income.
99% of people won't Cut and Paste this to their timelines. Will you?
Please, for the sake of our country, Copy & Paste. It's important.

[Niall O'Dowd @NiallODowd]

TRUMP LOSES KEY IRISH GROUP OVER OBAMA SLUR
President Trump has lost the support of Sean Pender, the leader of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the largest Irish group in America group because of his racist Obama comments_
Pender wrote::"The Ancient Order of Hibernians condemns in the strongest possible terms the racist depiction of President Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama as apes that was shared from President Trump's social media account. This is not a political statement, but a moral one founded in our Irish history and Catholic faith.

We recognize this tactic because it was used against us as Irish Americans.

As an organization founded to combat attacks against Irish immigrants, we know intimately the weaponization of simian imagery. For generations, our ancestors were caricatured as apes in newspapers, political cartoons, and popular culture; portrayed as violent, primitive, and less than human. The influential cartoonist Thomas Nast, whose work appeared in Harper's Weekly throughout the latter half of the 19th century, repeatedly drew Irish immigrants with pronounced simian features equating them with violent primates. These depictions were used to justify discrimination, exclusion, and violence. They stripped our people of dignity and humanity.

The claim that this video was merely an "internet meme" or that critics were engaging in "fake outrage" is both morally bankrupt and historically ignorant. There is nothing lighthearted about reducing any people to apes. This imagery has been used for centuries as a tool of oppression, designed to dehumanize and justify subjugation. It is not humor; it is bigotry.

The subsequent walk-back, blaming an unnamed staffer and claiming the president was unaware, rings hollow. Leadership means accountability. As a leader, the President should be well aware that the captain of a ship is responsible for all who serve under him. When this content appeared on the president's account, the president bears responsibility, regardless of whom he empowered to press the button. The initial defense of this post by staffers as harmless reveals either a shocking ignorance of history or a willful disregard for human dignity.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians is a nonpartisan organization. We do not endorse political parties or candidates. But we cannot—and will not—remain silent when any human being is dehumanized through the racist imagery that once targeted our own community.

An apology is owed. Not for political expediency, but because it is right. The dehumanizing of people as apes was wrong in the 19th century, it certainly as no place in the 21st.

We call on all people of conscience, regardless of political affiliation, to reject such dehumanization wherever it appears and whoever perpetrates it."

###

About the Ancient Order of Hibernians

Founded in 1836, the Ancient Order of Hibernians is the oldest and largest Irish Catholic organization in America. We promote Irish culture and history, defend the Irish and Catholic community, and work toward a free and united Ireland.

[Chef José Andrés 🕊️🥘🍳 @chefjoseandres]

Hello @realDonaldTrump time to say sorry?

[Congressman Chris Deluzio @RepDeluzio]

I’m a veteran of the Iraq War. My generation of veterans knows the toll of forever wars—and how chicken hawk politicians who send Americans to fight so often later refuse to pay for veterans’ care and benefits.

If our government cannot promise to fully fund care for veterans when they come home, then politicians should not send them off to fight.

[Hanna Gronkiewicz @hannagw]

Remind @realDonaldTrump that without Pułaski and Kościuszko, the United States would still remain a British colony.

[Cezary Tomczyk @CTomczyk]

Ponad 60 polskich żołnierzy oddało życie w Afganistanie i Iraku. Za nasze wartości. Za kraj. Za wolny świat!
Każdy musi o tym pamiętać — niezależnie od stanowiska.
To nasza wspólna historia, walka i bohaterstwo.
Honor wymaga od nas, abyśmy o tym nigdy nie zapomnieli. Cześć ich pamięci!

[Chicago White Sox @whitesox]

REPOST for a chance to win an autographed 2005 World Series baseball.

[Loyola University Chicago @LoyolaChicago]

Happy 105th Birthday, Sister Jean 💛

[Riot Fest @RiotFest]

If the @whitesox hire @OzzieGuillen as their next manager I will give everyone who RTs this a free ticket to Riot Fest.

[Blair Kamin @BlairKamin]

Huge victory for historic preservationists and great news for State Street: Century-old Loop skyscrapers to be preserved, federal agency decides - Chicago Sun-Times https://t.co/yRCHD73JHh

[Music Box Theatre @musicboxtheatre]

Something worth celebrating: Happy 100th(!) Birthday to EVA MARIE SAINT!

The Oscar-winning actress visited us in 2010, for a screening of NORTH BY NORTHWEST followed by a conversation with Robert Osborne.

[Preservation Chicago: Love Your City Fiercely! ® @Pres_Chicago]

MUST READ OP-ED!

Sara C. Bronin: Chicago's historic Century and Consumers buildings must not fall https://t.co/BwZxFIX3c7

[Power Over Parkinson's @poweroverPD]

Congress has passed The National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act! The bill now heads to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Truly a monumental event for the PD community!

[Patrick O'Laughlin @polaughlin270]

@cybersecmeg So sorry for your loss. What a beautiful pup

[Power Over Parkinson's @poweroverPD]

Join the movement to end Parkinson's Disease! ⚡️

World Parkinson’s Day is today. Help us get the word out about the fastest growing neurological disease on the planet.

We’re calling on those impacted by the disease to stand up, speak out and unite to end #parkinsons.

#wpd

[The Chicago Spectator @ChiSpectator]

So is a ceasefire for the city of Chicago in order next in the City Council?

Or are we not concerned with that?

Map from @w_h_thompson

[Patrick O'Laughlin @polaughlin270]

@commjoenie Oh no! I hope you’re all feeling better!

[Joseph Thacker @rez0__]

🚨 Massive AI Security Release 🚨

@NIST just put out the best AI Security Publication that I've ever seen.

It is 106 pages of deep, technical content. It references real-world practical attacks. In this thread is the link and I'm going to cover a few highlights. 👇

[I AM ALS @iamalsorg]

The best part about making a donation to IAA for @bsw5020's birthday is that you get a gift, too -- the gift of knowing you're making a difference. Check out this slide from our Impact Report for a peek at what we've accomplished with your support. https://t.co/aDHBO0cAtc