Things are getting pretty tense in GOP land:

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Rick Klein report: RNC Chairman Michael Steele is lashing out his critics, with a series of blunt messages for prominent Republicans who have blasted him over his leadership for the Republican Party.

“I tell them to get a life. That’s old Washington, that’s old ways, and I don’t represent that, and that kills them,” Steele told ABC News Radio in an interview today.

“I’m telling them and I’m looking them in the eye and say I’ve had enough of it. If you don’t want me in the job, fire me. But until then, shut up. Get with the program or get out of the way.”

What is really funny is how Steele takes on the public nature of these disagreements:

“All I’m saying is cut it out. If we have party differences that are inside the party, let’s deal with them inside the party. You don’t see the Democrats running around trying to beat up their national chairman or embarrass him.”

So you tell them to keep it in the party, while you are publicly blasting back at them? That makes perfect sense.

Very public problems like this could spell trouble for the GOP in a year they are poised to make a come back. A big story this week has been the fundraising trouble the Republicans are facing. If people see a party that can’t work together, especially at this high of a level, then chances are wallets will become harder to open.

With the riff in the blogosphere over health care, it is nice for us to see that our problems really aren’t as serious as the problems facing the GOP. Our disagreements seem to be limited to the online community, while the GOP disagreements appear to be at the highest levels of the GOP’s rank and file.