# NEW Stupid Republican Idea of the Day (Part 3)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-3/986588>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [July 4, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-3/986588 "2023-07-04T21:42:22Z")\
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**Showing post:** 2735

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**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2023, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-stupid-republican-idea-of-the-day-part-3/986588/2735 "2023-12-28T21:49:01Z")

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Worth noting about Nikki Haley’s ‘slavery, what slavery?’ answer to the question “What was the cause of the United States Civil War?” is that her answer, ignoring the existence of slavery as it does, basically positions the South as the Noble Defender of Liberty against the Evil, Anti-Liberty North.

Here’s a more extended transcript of what Haley said:

> [@](#):
>
> …Well, don’t come with an easy question or any — I mean, I think the cause of the Civil War was basically how government was going to run. The freedoms and what people could and couldn’t do.
> 
> …I mean, I think it always comes down to the role of government, and what the rights of the people are. And I will always stand by the fact that I think government was intended to secure the rights and freedoms of the people. It was never meant to be all things to all people. Government doesn’t have to tell you how to live your life. They don’t need to tell you what you can and can’t do. They don’t need to be a part of your life. They need to make sure that you have freedom. We need to have capitalism. We need to have economic freedom. We need to make sure that we do all things so that individuals have the liberties — so that they can have freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to do or be anything they want to be without government getting in the way. …

The South was so wonderful to be defending freedom! And the North was so awful to be imposing GOVERMENT on people!

She really is attempting to make that case.

And some very large proportion of Republicans think that interpretation of American history makes perfect sense.

Gift link:

> **[Opinion | Nikki Haley goes on Civil War autopilot, runs over her own campaign](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/12/28/nikki-haley-civil-war-slavery/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzAzNzM5NjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzA1MTIxOTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MDM3Mzk2MDAsImp0aSI6IjgzNWMzNWI3LWQyYTUtNGEzMi1iMGExLWNlNjA4NWRmMGQ1MCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9vcGluaW9ucy8yMDIzLzEyLzI4L25pa2tpLWhhbGV5LWNpdmlsLXdhci1zbGF2ZXJ5LyJ9.pF3RRqoNkyHodV1sUxAGR8sH81UWlBlu67OmmBcAAC0&itid=gfta)**
>
> The question wasn’t tricky or unfair, and the GOP presidential candidate’s reply at a town hall in New Hampshire was a mess.

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