District 2 legislators, from left, Rep. Vito Barbieri, R-Dalton Gardens, Sen. Steve Vick, R-Hayden Lake, and Rep. Ed Morse, R-Hayden, listen to the public during a legislative forum at Coeur d'Alene Library. (Duane Rasmussen photo for Huckleberries Online)

Around 200 people packed the Coeur d'Alene Public Library on Saturday to listen to, question, praise and scold North Idaho legislators. The weekend town hall was held to update the public on what legislators are working on while they're in Boise during the session, but one topic - whether Idaho should adopt a state health insurance exchange - dominated the discussion as lawmakers are on the cusp of doing so. A state exchange seems likely after 16 GOP freshman pledged their support for the governor's bill to establish one that helped it pass the Senate last week. Newly-elected Rep. Luke Malek of Coeur d'Alene organized the freshmen support, and explained his reasoning Saturday to a divided crowd. "It will be a part of our insurance landscape. Period," Malek said of President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, commonly known as "Obamacare." "If we do it now, the feds have to pay"/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: Do you think the individuals who attend these forums represent rank-and-file Kootenai County residents? Or are simply organized hardliners trying to force their agenda on the rest of us?