Shortly after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait, the incident that triggered America's first war in the Middle East, the U.N. Security Council approved a resolution allowing Western naval forces operating in the Persian Gulf to enforce an economic embargo against the Iraqi strongman, in the hope a blockade would force Saddam to withdraw. As he mulled over the potential consequences, President George H.W. Bush got some advice from British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. "This is no time to go wobbly, George," Thatcher told Bush.

It's too bad Lady Thatcher isn't around to offer some contemporary Republicans the same advice.

In recent days, as Congress took its first recess of the year, GOP lawmakers have become surrogates for hostile crowds at home that are intent on venting their anger at President Donald Trump's actions and agenda. That is, at least the ones who show up.

The news website Vice recently reported that 292 congressional Republicans scheduled just 88 in-person town hall events in their districts during the first two months of the year. Comparatively, Republican lawmakers conducted 222 such meetings during the first two months of 2015.

Appearing in Milton last week, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz endured tough questions and faced protesters during a daylong visit back to Florida's 1st Congressional District. The freshman congressman handled himself well, especially when confronted on his proposal to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency and return most controls of the environment to the states.

Gaetz and other GOP lawmakers should not avoid such harsh sessions. Instead, they should take the naysayers' advice about doing their jobs. For one thing, their constituents deserve to hear from them, even the ones who cause them grief. That's what a democracy is about.

They must explain, for example, why a free-market-oriented healthcare system is better than one that is solely propped up by tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies, has caused insurers to flee, has driven up premiums for those not on government insurance and forces many people to buy a service they don't use.

They need to share why Trump is correct to enforce the nation's immigration laws, and question their opponents' alternative, which seems to undermine the value of U.S. citizenship by promoting more porous borders and amnesty for any outsider who reaches our shores.

They need to address how reducing taxes and regulations will boost an anemic economy that has limped along with 2 percent, or less, annual growth and retains tens of millions of people on public assistance, even though the recession was officially declared over five months after Barack Obama took office.

It will be a challenge. The groups attending the town halls would, in most cases, rather yell than hold a conversation. But one thing is for sure for Gaetz and his GOP colleagues: going wobbly will mean the critics will win the argument and convince voters who supported them that they are not up to the task of helping America rebound or remain safe.

We hope they don't.

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