POST FALLS - Many questions asked to Rep. Raul Labrador during a town hall meeting Wednesday night had the same answer; Republican unity is needed to change the tide on many issues.

Post Falls resident George Rodkey wondered how conservatives can have their voice heard on ideas when the media as a whole is "against" them.

"We need to be bold in our vision," the Republican lawmaker told a standing-room-only crowd of about 250 at the Post Falls Senior Center.

"One of the problems of the Republican Party is that we continue to talk about ideas as it relates to business (and job creation). As a party, we'd better start talking to the employees, not just the business owner."

Labrador, who plans to seek re-election, said just fighting efforts such as Obamacare isn't enough.

"We have to show the American people why our ideas are better," he said. "We have to show what we will do with spending and the tax code. We need to paint that bold picture."

That route, Labrador said, would be better than impeaching President Barack Obama as some at the meeting suggested.

"I don't want to turn it into a political circus," Labrador said. "We should defeat (Obama) on the ideas."

Coeur d'Alene's Biron Larsen said he continues to have a lot of frustrations with how the federal government is operating, but he was also pleased to learn that Labrador seems interested in rallying the troops to resolve issues.

"He seems willing to work with others," Larsen said.

Margie Danielson asked Labrador what should be done about amnesty.

Labrador said the U.S. has a broken immigration system that needs to be fixed.

"We need to enforce the laws that are on the books and reform parts of the system to make it so that immigrating to the United States is not so convoluted," Labrador said. "We need to go to a simpler immigration system so people can come here legally."

Labrador said the country also needs to figure out what to do with the estimated 11 million who are here illegally.

"But we can't deal with them until we fix the system we have," he said. "If we do like we did in 1986 and grant amnesty without fixing the system, we'll have another 11 million (illegal immigrants) and be having this same debate 10 years from now."

Anne Nesse, among the Idaho residents trying to increase Idaho's minimum wage of $7.25, wondered if Labrador would support a raise in Idaho, if not at the federal level.

But Labrador said he's not in favor of an increase in either case.

"You'll see more people lose jobs if you increase the minimum wage," he said. "You'll see more automation. We (as a country) have the highest unemployment rate among teens in recent history." Labrador added minimum wage increases are the direct cause.

Labrador said he has talked to business owners who are having a hard time hiring people at $12 an hour because unemployment benefits from the government are better.

An influx of recent federal regulations was a concern of some meeting attendees.

Labrador said he supports the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act for more control on regulations from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency.