i maintain that the CIS (oh no) are the good guys tbh

This is basically canon -- the breakaway systems all had legitimate grievances with the Republic, since their worlds typically had their all of their resources and wealth extracted and shipped off to the core systems. They were the good guys right up until the movement was hijacked by the Trade Federation, Techno Union, and Banking Clan, who were more interested in war profiteering. You can even see some of this in the Tales of the Jedi series; right before Dooku turns, he's bordering on calling for revolution upon seeing the material conditions on one of the mid-rim planets that ended up joining the CIS. But of course, in typical Disney show fashion, wanting better conditions is bad ackshaully, because evil space wizards.