Health Care Reform At Supreme Court: Line Begins Three Days Early

Kathie McClure, first in line for Supreme Court health care cases.

The Supreme Court's health care cases don't begin until 10 a.m. Monday, but the line for the general public to see the action started more than 72 hours earlier. By the the middle of Friday afternoon, the line was already about 10 people deep. The only one not getting paid to be there -- that is, the first actual spectator who will gain entry to the proceedings -- was Kathie McClure.

"I originally thought that I was going to be starting here tomorrow," McClure said. "I came over here to do some recon and there were four people already in line, so I thought, 'Oh gosh.'"

McClure, an Atlanta-based trial lawyer, rushed back to her hotel room in northern Virginia, "dumped everything" into her suitcase, and took her place along the Supreme Court sidewalk to guarantee her ticket to witness history.

The wait will not be easy. Weather forecasts call for thunderstorms beginning Friday night and lasting through Sunday. No tents are allowed. Supreme Court police told HuffPost there will be a single line for all four oral arguments scheduled from Monday through Wednesday. Those at the front of the line can pass on a ticket for Monday's more technical argument to keep their prime spot for the main event -- Tuesday's test of the individual mandate's constitutionality.

McClure said she wants to attend Tuesday, if she can make it four days on the sidewalk. As president of VoteHealthcare.org, she's is in town to make a bold statement of support for the Affordable Care Act -- a sentiment that comes from own family's experience. "I have two chronically ill young adult children," she said. "My son has diabetes and my daughter has epilepsy. We need the Affordable Care Act to be upheld by the Supreme Court because people like my kids, without the Affordable Care Act, won't be able to buy health insurance" because their pre-existing conditions would make them uninsurable.

"They have insurance now because they currently have jobs, but it's been a long battle for our family," McClure said. "They were both diagnosed at 14 and we paid $35,000 a year to insure four people, which is ridiculous."

Big Supreme Court cases often draw long lines, but multi-day overnights are rare. The last such long haul was for a major Second Amendment case two years ago, which compelled a California gun-rights enthusiast and his friend to begin the queue 30 hours early.

For some, the wait is a badge of honor. McClure, however, sees her trek as a black mark upon the court's no-cameras policy. "I think it is absurd that I have to travel to Washington, D.C., and sleep on the sidewalk for three days to get a seat in front of the Supreme Court of the United States," she said. "This is our judicial branch, our institution, and it's essentially for all practical purposes closed off to the public."

Of the 400 seats in the courtroom, the court normally guarantees only 50 for members of the general public to attend a full session. Because the health care cases have commanded so much interest, 60 seats will be made available. The court also will release audio recordings of the arguments several hours after each one finishes, departing from the practice begun in 2010 to post all of the recordings at the end of the week.

"I dont think that transcripts and auditoapes are the same as seeing our court do its work," McClure said. "The public would benefit greatly from being able to observe what's going on and how this case is going to be decided."

Professional line-standers waiting with McClure said they were charging from $20 an hour to $40 an hour for holding spots for clients.

Comments

[Chimoch]

04:43 PM on 03/25/2012

She is right concerning hearings should be televised. They are passing judgement on laws that effect us all, we should be able to see and hear how and who actually adjudicates in the courtroom. CPAN does congress.

[vakh]

11:51 PM on 03/25/2012

They are passing on the constitutionality of the law
That a bunch of jackasses passed as political grandstanding.

[woody7]

09:42 AM on 03/26/2012

Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed?

[AKBarb2U]

04:20 PM on 03/25/2012

Good for this woman. I hope she has a facebook page. I hope she tells unbiased events. I hope the Supreme Court recognizes the urgency of this Obamacare Health Law. ALL AMERICANS have a right to healthcare. They may not be functional citizens today, but perhaps once were. The situations that arise in reality should not reflect the human being's rights to healthcare. As an American I pay taxes for the sole purpose to provide the necessary services that make America a better place to live. If we do not offer help, we will become a nation of homeless degenerates like the third world countries around the world. We need education...we also need to provide counselling to those who are not as strong or fortunate as some of us. Recently I bought a homeless person a ticket out of Alaska to California. She was autistic and incapable of being a functional citizen. Alaska had 28 citizens freeze to death because the Mayor of Anchorage ran them out of their camps. He should be prosecuted for murder! WE AMERICANS need OBAMACARE. If we need cuts in the budgets...I say we begin cutting the salaries of ALL POLITICIANS...the Governor of Alaska makes $145K or more a yearfor his lack of service. We over-pay those who make the laws that keep us starving, homeless and without healthcare. It is time for change!! VOTE OBAMA 2012....he's making the changes needed for ALL AMERICANS.

[vakh]

11:56 PM on 03/25/2012

No you dont have a right.
You think you should???
Take it up with your state gov.
You need
Education
What were you doing in school???
Starving??
Homeless??
Without healthcare??
Youre confused.

[woody7]

09:42 AM on 03/26/2012

u are a T_wi_t

[Haastnooit]

02:25 PM on 03/26/2012

I respectfully disagree and ask you to look at the statistics of poverty, education and healthcare over

the last 50 years in the USA
compared to other western countries
and compared to the rest of the whole world

Asuming that you are educated I trust you can find the google machine and can make the distinction between partisan and unbiased sources.

[hapy2day]

10:49 AM on 03/25/2012

If Obamacare survives, Medicare will be history, and seniors will be at the back of that long, long, long line of people waiting for medical care.

[AKBarb2U]

04:27 PM on 03/25/2012

Propoganda BS. Yes Medicare will be reformed, but seniors will be at he head of the lines..not the back. Wake up! This is law will provide healthcare for ALL AMERICANS. Those who can afford better care will get it. This is specific for those who are not able to pay for insurance, the federal government will have a program in place that will pay. And by golly this is why I pay taxes, to keep America from becoming a third world country where everyone is homeless and without help from their politicians. I am sick of watching Americans raped and pillaged while the banks and politicians make billions, steal billions of taxpayers money. One day you might find yourself on the losing end. You will wish you had rights to healthcare. And yes, I do work and have insurance, I am blessed but I am also an American who cares about America and her people.

[hapy2day]

04:38 PM on 03/25/2012

Wow. You're so whipped. If the Spreme Court holds Obamacare as constitutional, the 78% of Americans who oppose it will vote in a republican administration to have it repealed by Congress. Either way, Obama loses.

[vakh]

11:57 PM on 03/25/2012

No it wont
it will provide insurance
Except for 23 million

[hapy2day]

10:46 AM on 03/25/2012

It's a great day for the American people.

[vakh]

11:58 PM on 03/25/2012

LOL

[woody7]

09:44 AM on 03/26/2012

time for you to move on

[kinogod]

09:27 AM on 03/25/2012

If they invalidate it's time for "peaceful rioting."

[vakh]

11:58 PM on 03/25/2012

It is invalid
Unconstitutional.

[kinogod]

11:43 AM on 03/26/2012

It is valid.
It is constitutional.
They will uphold.

[Rocco13]

11:43 AM on 03/26/2012

Would love to know where you went to law school and what your Constitutional specialty and expertise are. Care to share that with us?

[JDZSB]

09:19 AM on 03/25/2012

No one is saying that there are not a few good things within the healthcare legislation like having a way for those with pre-existing health problems to get health insurance, and even if Obamacare is repealed, those few good things need to be saved. But, from the beginning when this 3000 page government takeover of the healthcare industry was "forced" through Congress and none of those (like Pelosi admitted) really knew the details of what the bill entailed, most Americans were skeptical of this legislation. At no time in our history has such a complex and expensive been ever passed, and Obama, with Pelosi and Reid's help forced it through using an inappropriate legislative procedure reserved for the reconciliation of financial issues only, not o be used for first time major legislation. The Supreme Court needs to strike down the healthcare mandate that forces every American to buy healthcare insurance or pay a fine, and Congress needs to repeal the Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act...which is unaffordable) legislation and replace it with a much simpler bill aimed at the few areas (like pre-existing conditions) that are problematic. Most Americans from the onset have nt supported the Obamacare legislation.

[ceweston]

02:09 PM on 03/26/2012

It is NOT every American; the bill mandates CHILDREN to be insured. It is unfortunate in our society that parents don't do the minimum for their children; but too often, they would rather get this or that then spend money on their children's health. THAT's what is expensive!!

[Elyriaohio]

06:25 AM on 03/25/2012

Is this the same court that legalized our candidates to be sold to the highest bidder? Oooooh Boy.

[luapmi2]

04:53 AM on 03/25/2012

SCOTUS...Final Four...SCOTUS...Final Four...

[libluv235]

11:09 PM on 03/24/2012

If health reform is repealed my family will be in serious trouble. Obamacare has provided financial and emotional security. I buy my insurance as an individual. I need the lifetime cap eliminated, i need controls on premium increases, i need my young adult son to stay on my insurance and to be insurable. I am terrified of the right wing agenda to end my family's access to health insurance.

[luapmi2]

04:55 AM on 03/25/2012

The debate will be centered on legal issues...NOT if it is hard on your family. If that were the issue, Barry would pass a law making every Democrat a million....right after he implemented price-caps.

[docallen001]

08:10 AM on 03/25/2012

Better than Repub trying to put middle class in poor house.

[woody7]

09:46 AM on 03/26/2012

Whose Barry? I didn't know you were personal friends?

[hapy2day]

10:48 AM on 03/25/2012

What you need to do is grow up and quit depending on government to take care of your family. That's your job.

[purpleflowers]

01:17 PM on 03/25/2012

Nothing in that statement implies that they are not taking care of there family.

[woody7]

09:47 AM on 03/26/2012

and what does affordable health care have to do with depending on the govt? Oh wait, that is a fox talking point.

[blueswithafeeling]

09:53 PM on 03/24/2012

Say a insurance co takes you with your cancer, they have to by mandate, but where does it mandate to be affordable . A Co with under 50 workers are exempt so a Co of 75 workers lays off 25 to keep out of this mandate . So loss of jobs will occur. A big Co will just pay the fine as it will be the cheaper of the 2. There are to many unanswered ?,s. 47 percent don't pay taxes so will they still have to buy insurance or still get free health care, how is that fair?

[jwredd]

10:09 PM on 03/24/2012

You're right.... single payer is the only way to make it work.

[yellow marshmallow]

12:47 AM on 03/25/2012

I pay taxes in Canada and I am more than happy to contribute so that those who are too poor to be required to pay taxes get health care. I cannot imagine sleeping well at night knowing that someone in need goes without.

To quote Gandhi : 'If you have more than you need to survive, you are stealing from those who don't have enough'. Sounds 'fair' to me.

[luapmi2]

04:57 AM on 03/25/2012

And according to AM1010 talk radio in Toronto...in ten years, healthcare will be the ONLY public service offered by the government. No more schools, no police protection, no fire protection.

Good luck!

[sdanca4]

06:52 PM on 03/24/2012

Can you Imagine a "Constitutional Professor" wouldn't know this law is Unconstitutional? NOT! But it sure seems there are alot of "constitutional experts" out there. I love being able to get and afford health insurance under the ACA.....59, raised 3 children, worked all my life without using the insurance I paid into, tumors in my reproductive system, hypertension and 2 pass surgeries. Thank God for the ACA.

[JackBlair69]

10:14 PM on 03/24/2012

He could still know, and not care. Mr. Obama has recently expressed frustration that the Constitution prevents him from doing much of what he'd like to do.

Actually, his is a sort of surprised frustration, which further confirms for me that Mr. Obama is no more a constitutional scholar than my cat.

[yellow marshmallow]

12:39 AM on 03/25/2012

You should take darn good care of that cat, Jack, because he must be a h*ll of a lot smarter than you.

If all the loons jostling to become your party's candidate come to an untimely end, well, your party can always nominate your cat.

At least the cat might look better in the debates with President Obama than Mitt or Rick or Newt. Meow...

[donnielee1949]

01:30 PM on 03/25/2012

And it seems to me that you should have let your Cat write your post. Just seems that the cat would be more intelligent

[jtwalk45]

10:50 PM on 03/24/2012

you mean I don't need car Insurance.? but who will pay if I get into an Accident.?
If I don't have health Insurance and get sick,I guess you will pay who else is there.
My car insurance covers the repair of my car and medical care if needed,they don't claim that the bumper is not covered.If you don't want to pay into this plan then sign a DNR and when you get sick we can put you in a early grave.

[sdanca4]

12:09 PM on 03/25/2012

I agree Entirely. "they" said the car insurance issue is a "state" issue....but I've never drove in any "STATE" that didn't require car insurance.

[reverence]

06:01 PM on 03/24/2012

I agree with this woman on the Supreme Court being on TV and radio. The educational experience would be fantastic.

[JackBlair69]

10:15 PM on 03/24/2012

Just like CSPAN is.

[Xenopus]

02:56 PM on 03/24/2012

They should put it on television and radio for everyone to hear.

[ronp121]

02:35 PM on 03/24/2012

All this crap just because of a congress that only wanted to stop anything this President tried to do. Had they congress had any sense of normalcy and worked together instead of only fighting every step of the way all of this would have been avoided. To go back to square one would be such a shame.

[rosiebond007]

08:25 PM on 03/24/2012

The object of Congress has been to ensure that Obama is a one-term President.
The work there had nothing to do with the population of America.
Besides which it is just too much to have a black man in the White House.
For more confirmation on this, look at the voting in the South and read how Gun Clubs have increased in the last 3 years - really scary.

[marcdostl]

08:29 PM on 03/24/2012

What are you talking about?...The DEMS ran Congress for the first two years. They ran down a bill down the peoples throat through back door trickery, and lied about it's cost. Its' now double the cost - 2 Trillion dollars - and it hasn't even started yet...To get back to Square ONE would be a step back towards Constitutional Government and fiscal sanity.

[speechteach]

08:42 PM on 03/24/2012

Will you guys please stop repeating that spin about it costing 2 trillion dollars? I only hope you and your loved ones never are in a position of not having health insurance. Yet, if you were, you might have some empathy for those of us who have struggled with pre-exiting conditions and unaffordable premiums. My guess is you wouldn't even feel the impact of the ACA if your weren't fed so many negative lies by the rightwing media and politicians. Really, how much have you been financially impacted thus far? And don't tell me your premiums have risen, because they were rising by double digit percentages many years before the ACA was passed.

[Whats Inaname]

09:18 PM on 03/24/2012

Well, it isn't surprising where you turn to get your so called "facts". Some of you just come here and simply repeat or expound on what you hear at "Faux News".

Problem for you is that everything they say to you I can access via Media Matters. Yes, I know I know, Media Matters lies and they are out to get "Faux News" right? Dare you say it is true but that "Faux News" has never said it? I can post that link too, so think hard about it.

Right-Wing Media Falsely Claim Cost Of Health Care Law Has Doubled

http://mediamatters.org/research/201203160005

KARMA: "WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND."

[ruthtruth]

02:14 PM on 03/24/2012

I was trying to watch a Tea Party Patriots rally and after listening to 2 speakers my husband and I looked at each other and questioned each other as to if either of us understood what they were saying. We both were stunning at the lack of coherency bu both speakers and the lies that were told. We a both educated and my husband"s favorite book is the dictionary so there were no misunderstand in any words and phrases used to tell one untruth after the other about about the health care bill. I think that all those TPers that don't want health care should sign a form stating that they will never, ever take any help for local, state or federal government for anything related to their health. They pay or else they get nothing ever. No emergency room care, nil, zip, nada, and they would get a pass on Obamacare. That should go for anyone else. If they need a $60,000 hip replacement then they have to pay it out of their own pocket. I they get a life threatening illness, pay for it . Their children need something, pay for it. Don't want Social Security or Medicare don't . One bit of bad luck and they would sing a different tune I bet.

[Xenopus]

03:00 PM on 03/24/2012

The Republicans sole approach to everything is dictated by hate and backed up by lies. They have no positive message or any positive accomplishments these past 3 years. Everything is guided to destroy those on the other side of the aisle. And, then they carry
around their Bibles as if they were actually Christ-like.

[vakh]

12:10 AM on 03/26/2012

Did you dream this up???
Or is it your prejudice showing up?

[didyouseethat]

08:51 AM on 03/25/2012

If one learns spelling, grammar, and sentence structure, particularly if one is "educated", one would have a better chance of understanding the spoken word.

[ceweston]

02:42 PM on 03/26/2012

One would know that when one uses one word too often, then one would just read the comment as one "uneducated" rhetorical statement.