It is interesting to stand in the middle of free speech in action – the perspective can be revealing. Last month, I was on the front steps of the US Supreme Court as the Obamacare reform ruling was revealed. The scene was a jumbled layer cake of professionalism and craziness.
The scene as the Court decided
As a benefits professional taking time off from a conference across the Potomac, I wanted to be there to experience the reaction firsthand to share the experience with my team back at Gregory & Appel.
The Media created a first layer no-nonsense “buffer zone” of cameras and lighting rigs. The second layer was a more of the random mix of supporters and opponents eagerly awaiting to see if their side won.
The third and final layer were more of the “protest junkies” who simply wanted a reason to yell a little bit, along with the outer layer of DC tourists with no other interest in the situation than just being interested citizens who wanted to get a photo of the chaos on this momentous day before rejoining their tour group in time for lunch.
It was exciting to be at the center of the storm of how our nation handles health insurance.
Yes, really. Belly dancers against the PPACA.
The crowd was either shouting to be heard or not listening at all, staring intently at smart phones tuned to SCOTUS blogs. The first sign of the decision was a buzz of energy from the middle of the pack, with some screams of “Yes! Yes! Repealed!” I learned later that day that both FOX and CNN reported premature and incorrect alerts that the bill had been overturned as unconstitutional.
There are lessons in this moment. If you want proof of the value of a responsible, methodical press, compare the actions of twitter, bloggers, etc to the print media. CNN got it wrong – my wife Barbara got it right. She texted me the correct news – taken from the NBC newscast back home in Indiana, and I was able to correct a knot of interns standing next to me.
As the corrected news spread everywhere, the tone of the crowd shifted. The “Pro” crowd smiled quietly – perhaps not fully believing the news. The buzz of the remaining viewers turned to strong disappointment, with someone finding a microphone and shouting about the end of civilization.
Pete Williams figuring it all out – in 2 minutes.
I was pushed back into the press zone,standing on a riser watching the live reports begin. A very polished CNBC anchor was reading a stapled, thick document and turned to his assistant and asked “What is Medicaid Severability, anyway?” Up and down media row anchors intently read the thick ruling, hoping to find clarity in this complex ruling sometime before the end of the commercial break.
It was now time for me to go. I found it ironic that the steps of the Supreme Court itself was the last place to learn how the Court ruled, but still the best place to be to see our Democracy in action. From here, we move forward again advising our clients on the next and best steps they need to take in response to this ruling.
Karl Ahlrichs' Uncommon Experience 
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