The dust-up between involving the White House, the new Republican Chairman Michael Steele and radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh is unnecessary and counterproductive.

Democrats need an enemy and Republicans need more friends. This back and forth helps liberal Democrats and does nothing to gain support for Republicans.

Rather than try to appease all wings of the Republican Party, Steele and others should focus on what works. Conservatives have ideas that have proved their worth – from addressing poverty, to health care, to taxes, spending and defense. We know what works. This isn’t a hit and miss strategy. We can study history – even recent history – and see what produces the goals all of us say we want.

The problem is that both wings are sometimes more enamored with their ideology than on getting results that benefit the most people. As a conservative, I believe conservative economic and social principles benefit the most people, but I am happy to consider liberal positions that work. That should be the focus, not dueling personalities.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.