An article in today's Denver Post highlights a perceived tension within the Republican Party over some conservative activists displeasure with the tenure of Speaker Frank McNulty and Majority Leader Amy Stephens.

Dissent is healthy and essential to a functioning party that is responsive to its members' issues and concerns. But sometimes that dissent and angst is misplaced. In this situation it's misguided and unproductive.

With Democrats controlling two of the three steps of lawmaking, in the State Senate and Governor's office, Republicans will never get everything on their wish list. Those that expect them to simply misunderstand the nature of governing in a divided government. 

To put it in realistic terms, Republicans can push for a partial repeal of harmful taxes and fees with a chance of success, or they can stomp their feet and demand full repeal with no chance of success. We would rather a partial rollback than none at all.

Some may hoot and holler that Republicans promised full repeal during the election and are now going back on their word.

They're not.

They're trying to govern as effectively and conservatively as possible.

Threatening primaries against McNulty and Stephens is ineffective and a waste of time and energy better spent moving the fiscal conservative ball down the field.

Cindy Sheehan tried to primary Nancy Pelosi for not being liberal enough. What did that accomplish? Nothing. 

We think the time is better spent knocking on doors to inform voters of the tax increase initiatives liberals are trying to get passed, not doors of Republican primary voters in a quixotic quest to unseat two solid conservatives.

Governing ain't easy. You can't please all the people all the time.

John Hickenlooper is fully aware of this fact.

The teacher's union is more than furious at him over big budget cuts to education. Carol Hedges, famed liberal loon, is even hotter because the Hickster wouldn't back her whopper of a tax increase.

Let the liberals fight it out in a circular firing squad. Conservatives have their first opportunity since Bill Owens was Governor to pass some significant legislation that will help get this state's economy back on track and reduce the burden of government on everyone's life. 

But we conservatives can't get that done if we're spending all of our time eating our own. Canceled press conferences called to attack Amy Stephens are not the way to conservative legislation.

Make your views known, but accept that conservatives can disagree on issues and still be called conservatives. Then pick fights you can win.

Frank McNulty and Amy Stephens are both bright, well-spoken and exceedingly conservative. Let's also not forget, they are the first tandem to bring a conservative majority to the Colorado Capitol in 7 years. 

Conservatives outside the Capitol can and should feel free to quibble with the choices they make day-in and day-out.  But questioning the underlying conservative philosophy that motivates the Speaker and Majority Leader is implausible, not believable, and not particularly productive to the cause at all.