It is time for Republican voters to stop whining over the so-called congressional RINOs (Republicans in Name Only). In fact it is we, Republican voters, who have failed our congressional leadership over and over again. How can we expect the Republican leadership to stand up to the liberal agenda, media abuse, and entrapment, when we the voters, who should be their backbone, do not show up to vote in decisive election years? 

Some Republican voters and activists seem unable to not get off their high horses, when in the 2012 election, they refused to elect one of the most decent and competent Americans running for president, Mitt Romney. Their stubborn reasoning was “I would not vote for a Mormon”, or “he is not conservative enough.” Thus Barak Obama and Harry Reid were both re-elected.

Some Republican voters would rather shoot themselves in the foot than realize that politics is a game of compromise and strategy. Even after the great disappointment with the re-election of Obama, many continue to complain about the party leadership and how Boehner, McConnell, and Graham, are not pushing a more conservative agenda. Few realize and verbalize the fact that when we failed to elect Romney and kept the Senate in the hands of Democrats, we have sucked the power out of Republican leadership. 

Not only are they not getting the support they need to push the conservative agenda, but also they must survive the cutthroat environment in Washington D.C. The brazen violations by the IRS and Department of Justice against conservatives and Tea Party activists does not go unnoticed by politicians who could be dragged through the mud by the Democratic Party machinery and the one sided media. Just ask Sarah Palin, Michelle Backman, Chris Christie, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay, etc.

And now many Republicans, including those who were reluctant to vote for Romney, are singing the same tune before the coming elections: “we are fed up with the Republican Party” or “I will change to independent.” Such people are harming the conservative cause that they claim they love, more than any liberal action. Such Republicans have a misguided, punitive attitude and instead of voting wisely, they would rather throw the baby with the bath water. They spread defeatist propaganda among other less informed Republicans, which could cause a split in Republican ranks that could bring us a repeat of the Ross Perot fiasco that contributed to the election of Bill Clinton. But this time, it could be Hillary.

Republican and independent voters must wise up this time and understand what is at stake with the rise of Islamic State while America is under the most incompetent and paralyzed presidency in its history. If we shoot ourselves in the foot again, we have no one to blame but ourselves and we might not be able to stand up on our feet once again.

Democrats are good at closing ranks and keeping their representatives in power, even those who are embarrassingly incompetent, such as Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid etc.

No Democrat in power today can hold a candle to the many great Republicans we have in office today; Governor Scott Walker, Congressman Paul Ryan, Senator Marco Rubio, Governor Rick Perry, Senator Rand Paul, Governor John Kasich, Governor Jan Brewer and former governor Jeb Bush.

The next Republican president of the U.S. will undo the damage Obama has done to this nation both internally and externally. But if Republicans don’t show up in massive numbers to vote then we should not complain if Hillary takes the mantle from Obama. In that case, it is not the RINO Republicans’ fault, but the RINOs would be us.

Nonie Darwish, author of The Devil We Don’t Know