You're completely right when you frame it as a leadership issue.   

I think we have to go around that kind of confrontation though James.   Good ideas should stand on their own among voters who are serious about facing real challenges.   There is no reason to create a conflict with those Republicans who may support actions to mitigate global warming

One of the reason the Republican party is in fragments is that the narrow ideology of their leadership is tone deaf to those Republicans who may not hold the same beliefs.    Not all Republicans are science deniers, some believe government functions go beyond military defense, many are not southern evangelicals, etc..........

Democrats have done a better job of expressing an 'inclusive' attitude toward diversity of all kinds.  The question for me is if they really care about the low income, low education, manual skills citizens who feel left out and at times insulted.   Just saying not all Dems look for federal direction on every issue.