Any time I find myself thinking that I just go "Nah, couldn't be." I'm definitely dubious that it would have been a motivating notion for political reform for the Northern status quo politicians.

Trump consults Bush torture lawyer on how to skirt law and rule by decree.

It seems to me that to assume that wasn't a major factor you have to do more convoluted rationalizing for why else they wouldn't have slavery in northern states, why there was such a thing as abolishinists, why the south feared such a movement would succeed in ending slavery, etc.

The north didn't go to war specifically to free the slaves, they went to preserve the union. But the south seceded precisely because there was a growing cultural divide on that issue and Lincoln was not in favor of slavery so they feared he would abolish it. And once the war ended that's exactly what happened.

Yeah I'm not saying it wasn't a legitimate sentiment. I'm sure anyone but a pure sociopath must have had some conflicting emotions even just deep down but there's lots of social and political issues people feel some kind of way about that politicians don't really bother acknowledging legislatively until it becomes either a threat to re-election or an opportunity for elevation. But I can totally believe that Northern states opposed new slave states being admitted into the Union because the North's and the South's economic differences were creating a political division. I can also believe that Lost Cause Confederate revisionism strikes again though.

Most people who fought for the north just wanted a job.

Instead of arguing about who's committing tu quoque fallacies, why can't we just agree that both Obama and Bush were violent warmongers?

Then we can argue about degree.

I dunno about yoo Rosta, but I think he's very picturesque.

I think everyone does agree