Opinions expressed in the Op/Ed section of The Knight Crier are not necessarily reflective of the views of the entire staff of the KC.

Unity, an encompassing subject through some of President Joe Biden’s utmost presidential efforts to strive towards throughout his years of presidency, is a term slowly fading away from spotlight, and for good measure. In light of Biden’s most recent address to the nation in Philadelphia last week, it’s obvious to consider the lack of prevalence his usual foundational spoken aspect of unity and compromise, heard within many of his speeches, had throughout this most recent address. Seemingly, the Biden administration is slowly ditching such efforts towards unification, a long sought ideal proving to be futile for two consecutive years, in substitute for a new era of overdue Trump-condemnation.

“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic,” said Biden, with an ominously glowing red Independence Hall shrouding him.

As the birthplace of the United States constitution, this signifies a truly poetically ironic choice of scenery by the Biden administration to discuss with Americans the plausible threat of the country’s constitutional and democratic downfall in the face of mutating waves of Trumpism. 

A similitude to Trump’s frequent offensive approaches towards his political opponents, Biden adopted this strategy during his address, embracing an “if you can’t beat them, join them” attitude. Finally calling the issue out by name strengthens Biden’s position in combating looming Trump-induced hostilities, and fighting ugly with ugly. Efforts to unify with the now officially villainized, with presidential recognition, MAGA right, when their apparent end-goal is the downfall of any consideration of liberalized ideology whatsoever, is useless and even dangerous. 

This “MAGA right” at issue, a simpler term to define the populatory and congressional backing of Donald Trump, has expanded throughout the years in its absolutist processes, proving that whoever isn’t on board the Trump train is against its entirety, and by the base’s inherent rationale, against American values overall. Such implications have made the moderate right, specifically congressional, succumb to these methods in face of intimidation, and to ensure their self and House-seat oriented preservation through complicity with Trumpist ideals and actions, even through their ability to denounce them.

“Now, I want to be very clear, very clear up front. Not every Republican, not even the majority of Republicans, are MAGA Republicans,” President Biden subsequently assured.

“But there’s no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans.”

However it’s redundant for Biden to make this type of assurance for a multitude of pretenses, one of which being his predisposed statement lines before contradicting this new premise. In addition, these Republican “exceptions,” implicating the definition behind this label meaning those who do not support Trump, shouldn’t be commended. 

It’s vital to note that this forgotten wave of “Never-Trump” Republicans have shriveled into tiny unofficial coalitions to begin with, especially in the halls of the Senate and Congress alike. Yet, to give these figures the benefit of the doubt, and to not merely question their very existence, it’s still easy for them to proclaim certain characteristics are not favorable about a figure like Trump, which most of these said Republicans that Biden pinpoints do, but they fail to denounce his actions as a whole and take a step forward towards limiting his domination over their party. Unity cannot coincide with inherent associative guilt.

“Not every Republican embraces their extreme ideology. I know, because I’ve been able to work with these mainstream Republicans,” stated Biden

And, to question, where are these glorified moderate-conservatives-on-a-good-day, reaching across partisan aisles, and extending olive branches to further preserve the betterment of America? If there are reasonable people among the victims to such partisan lies, why doesn’t President Biden encourage them to join his efforts to overcome this issue, seemingly by root and stem?

That’s due to the uncomfortable fact that they cease to exist, or refuse to cooperate in making a definitive existence to this premise. There’s no unifying with a party who has never made efforts to unify in such ways themselves, and it’s now time to focus such endeavors elsewhere.