Good point. We can never have perfect unity. We are not a hive mind species. But if 70% of us can march in a common direction, that leave us in a far better place than 52% fighting the other 48%, with only 4% "free" to move us forward.
I agree; but if Lincoln gives a speech in the middle of the civil war saying 'hey guys, this is nasty, if we all just agree on unity and go the same direction we'll do better, what do you say?', it would be a pretty futile gesture. I'm comparing current conflicts to the civil war, but just noting that telling half the country against you 'hey if you reverse direction and join us we'll have unity and unity is great' is pretty hollow.
It reminds me a little of how Obama was doomed to failure at 'cooperation' with Republicans and only obstructed.
He seemed to think if he could just be polite enough, just praise bi-partisanship enough, just be reasonable and compromise enough, they would join him in his idea of good, bi-partisan government, not understanding they were simply at war with him, determined to block him simply to deny him any accomplishment, as was made clear in their several month denying him a Supreme Court appointment.
No matter what Republicans did that was outrageously against the country and a power grab, Obama wouldn't say much against them - that might make them less willing to cooperate.
Again and again he and the American people paid a price. He worsened the ACA for months giving them changes they asked for - in exchange for zero votes. Biden's chanting 'unity' might have some appeal against the trump treason and mobs, but it doesn't sound like he's recognizing the obstruction of Republicans in Congress. Luckily, hopefully having both branches will allow him to get some things done.
And I say that recognizing the political angle, it builds political capital to look like the reasonable, compromising one, encouraging people to blame the other side if they don't agree. It 'looks good' to say nice things about your opponents and how badly you want to compromise.
It provides Biden some protection from the (false) attacks that he's a hyper-partisan radical leftist trying to force socialism down Americans' throats.
But we've seen that instead of looking like a political tactic, it looked like Obama really was flummoxed and outmaneuvered and ineffective dealing with Republican obstructionism.
