• Justices air doubts about health care mandate
• Analysis: Roberts will likely vote to strike down Obamacare
• Day 2: Audio, video and transcript
• Day 1: High court unlikely to delay health care ruling
• Day 1: Health care protests start small, expected to grow
• Day 1: Audio, video and transcript
The passion and frenzy sparked by federal health care reforms was on full display Tuesday, as advocates and opponents amped up their presence outside the Supreme Court during the second day of arguments on President Obama’s signature achievement.
What were spirited but friendly dueling protests Monday grew into a raucous, often nasty clashes between demonstrators Tuesday with both sides stepping up their displays of strength in front of the high court and the nation on the most pivotal day of the case.
For proponents of the law, including labor unions and women’s health groups, the court’s three days of hearing have provided an unparalleled opportunity to match the fervor of the conservative opposition. Early in the day, supporters significantly outnumbered opponents and drowned out a Tea Party press conference that featured congressional Republicans, including former presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.
“We are surrounded right now by those who would benefit from socialism,” Bachmann told health care reform opponents.
As Tea Party activists’ frustrations grew with the liberal interlopers of their event, pushing and shoving ensued and police stepped up an already visible presence.
Away from the ruckus, D.C. retiree Holly Pollinger marched in a circle with other supporters of the reforms, talking about the benefits of the law.
“I’m on Medicare and it’s one of the better programs and you can see how health care would be better and make this debate about access to care go away,” she said. “Once you understand all the positives, most reasonable people agree this is good.”
That’s an argument that has riled Republicans from the start since former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., famously said Congress needed to “pass the bill so you can find out what is in it.”
“Does anybody really know what’s in it?” said Bill Jones of Hatfield, Pa. Jones joined more than 1,000 conservatives at a rally a few blocks from the Supreme Court put on by Americans for Prosperity, an organization funded by billionaire brothers David and Charles Koch that bussed people in from across the country.
For Tea Party activists, Tuesday was a chance to prove the force that mobilized against Obama after he signed the Affordable Care Act in 2010 hasn’t gone away. Speaker after speaker looked beyond June, when the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case, to the fall’s presidential election.
“If they don’t [strike it down], it’s our job to make sure the bill is never implemented,” said Sen. Jim Demint, R-S.C. “That’s what November is for.”
It was clear from the earliest moments Tuesday that health care has become an issue that will be used to mobilize female voters this year. Anti-abortion groups arrived early with signs that said “Abortion is not health care” and “Your pills, your bills.” Women’s health groups, meanwhile, presented a variety of female speakers who detailed how the health care reforms have already helped them.
Tea Party activist Greg Cummings of Iowa listened intently to their arguments, but walked away still hoping for the court to strike down the law.
“We understand the system is broke,” he said, “but we can’t take away power from the people to fix it.”
