First and foremost, if we are to prevail, we cannot afford to continue firing upon and wounding or maiming our own soldiers and officers. We need everyone in the fight.

It is more difficult to be in a position of governance, such as John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, than a journalist, pundit or conservative talk show host. Trust me, I’ve been in both arenas. It’s much harder to be Boehner and the Republican leadership than it is to be Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved, etc.

Unlike those who operate solely in the arenas of commentary, opinion and philosophy, Republicans in Washington bear the responsibility and burden of actual governance, where ideological purity must often yield to compromise. Much of the blame placed at the feet of Republican leadership by many in the party or the commentariat lies not with the party or its leaders but ultimately, as in all things with a democratic republic, with the choice of the people.