Why were many northern politicians willing to abandon reconstruction efforts in 1877? a) as tensions rose between the republican and democratic parties, many believed a second civil war was coming if reconstruction did not end. b) northern politicians were outnumbered by those who opposed reconstruction and decided to focus on other political issues. c) removing federal troops from the south cut a major government expense at a time when the federal budget was tight. d) reconstruction was a policy promoted in the southern states, so many northern politicians had always opposed it.