'Funeral' March: Death of Health Care Under Walker's Budget

The crowd of at least 2,000 protesters listens to John Nichols, Rosa Clemente and others speak at the 5:30 p.m. rally Thursday evening.

A foam "coffin" with a red cross signifying the death of health care benefits and slashes to health care funding – including Medicaid and BadgerCare – under Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal.

The Capitol's State Street doors opened briefly during the rally, allowing a few protesters into the building. This opening of doors came after Judge Albert's preliminary decision to allow protesters into the building during business hours.

As the protests have worn on over the past 16 days, more signs denouncing Walker's corporate ties and apparent vested interests in the Koch brothers' companies have appeared.

A clever protester points out Walker's dependence on corporate campaign finance funds under the "Citizens United" Supreme Court ruling that completely unraveled the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform bill of 2002.

Compared with the hundreds of people in line earlier in the day, here only a few people waited in line to enter the Capitol, as Judge Albert gave his closing remarks at a courthouse hearing regarding the constitutionality of the closing of the Capitol.

Judge Albert decided to reopen the Capitol to protesters during business hours. One might assume the crowds either joined the 5 p.m. rally or caught wind of Albert's decision and considered the hearing a victory.

Several inflatable palm trees could be seen floating around the Capitol Square late Thursday afternoon, mocking a FOX News video that depicted reporter Mike Tobin being "mobbed" by protesters. The footage in the background depicted palm trees and people in clothing really only suitable for warm weather—certainly not emblematic of February in Madison, Wis.