Will Obamacare be voted down?

Just Sayin'

The U. S. Senate will vote this week or next to fully repeal the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). The Democrats held a conference Sunday to discuss how repealing this law would have devastating affect on millions of people. So they will either try to stop the vote or reverse the flow by stopping Democrats from voting against ACA.

There needs to be a vote, so I hope the Dems don't block a vote. This way we know exactly where each Senator stands on this critical issue.

My prediction is that even though Republicans are in the majority in the Senate, all will not vote against this law, which will allow the law to stand. And even if they do, President Obama will veto it and there is definitely not enough votes to over ride his veto.

So once and for all the GOP will have to move on to other issues.

Even though I think the ACA is a long way from being perfect, and is a long way from being affordable the Republicans are offering absolutely nothing in its place, which means we would go back to what we had. Nothing.

Health care should be a right, not a privilege. Every American should have access to health care regardless of income. One's health is more important than anything, including money. I'm still trying to understand how the general public and the major media as a whole are allowing the GOP to get away with not offering anything to replace ACA. Especially after 85 percent of the American people said there was a great need for health care reform well before President Obama ran for office with this as one of his key platforms.

After the vote and the dust has cleared then maybe both sides will get down to the business of fixing the ACA so that it better serves the general public.

Farewell to Helen Faison, teacher, principal, and the first Black Pittsburgh School Board Superintendent.

She passed recently at the age of 91. She was one of the nicest and committed people you ever want to meet.

People are still talking about the Who's Who In Black Pittsburgh event.

The people at the event as well as some who didn't attend were very excited and said it was about time, even though some were disappointed at some of the people who didn't make it.

This was the first event of this kind in Pittsburgh so there were some problems that will hopefully be ironed out next year.

My biggest concern, which also came from many other people, was the lack of a males among the Living Legends. I felt Livingstone and Justin Johnson are Living Legends and should have been selected. But there's always next year.

I don't know why so many people were so late to respond this year. Maybe they didn't think it was for real. I expect the event to double in attendance next year.

It was great to see and hear musical icons coming to Pittsburgh recently. Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Johnny Mathis and Natalie Cole. You can't get any bigger than that. And Patti LaBelle will be at The Meadows Sept. 16. Wow

I really wish I could have seen Natalie; she's my favorite female vocalist. Well, next to Aretha.

There was some concern by some who said Natalie was wheeled to the stage in a wheelchair and was extremely thin. This is probably a result of a kidney transplant she had a few years back which almost took her out. But I couldn't find any details on anything recent, so I will keep on looking. But it hasn't affected her voice. Writer Aubrey Bruce said she was a Hurricane. Can't get any stronger than that.

Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay keeps laying it on the line. At the African American Chamber Breakfast he stated that the method of selecting Pittsburgh Police Officers, and probably all over the country, is antiquated. He wants the civil service hiring model for police updated to allow more flexibility in bringing on new personnel.

"We have a 1907 civil service model driving our hiring," he said during his Power Breakfast address. "We want to reconfigure it so we can screen and hire differently. There is an alternate model that is in place elsewhere."

He wants to hire from the top 100.

"The old systems was intended to fight cronyism, but it doesn't work, and it selects out the possibility of hiring for values," McLay said.

Former Police Chief Nate Harper said pretty much the same thing, his hands were tied, maybe McLay can get it done.

I wonder what all the people are saying who fought and finally defeated the Affirmative Action because they said that the civil service method of hiring based on a test was better, and fairer. It wasn't. Hopefully McLay will get his wish. But we as Blacks still have to watch and monitor very closely to make sure he, and whoever follows him, are hiring Blacks.

The Pittsburgh Promise, which has been a great asset to Pittsburgh Public Schools, needs to allow individuals to donate, instead of just corporations. Every little bit helps. It could be the difference in a student finishing school or not.

(Ulish Carter is the managing editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.)