@Gatewood

The Civil War was a tragedy that followed the institution of slavery, meaning, if slavery hadn't existed in the US the Civil War probably would not have happened. It was a very sad waste of life to correct a wrong which was just as deplorable and which should never have happened in the first place.

An apology will go a long way towards American healing. It takes a big person to acknowledge where a wrong was done by them and then to admit that to the person they had wronged. The people who instituted slavery have long died, the actual slaves had long died. But slavery's impact is not trapped in the past. It pervades every aspect of American society -culturally, economically, socially.

Otherwise I agree with you, guilt is not useful in deciding public policy. I don't agree with the sentiment that people ought to vote for Obama to assuage their guilt (in whichever form). They ought not to support Clinton 'cause they feel sorry for her and women in general either. They most certainly shouldn't support the Republicans 'cause they had just a few bad years, by not stretch of the imagination.