MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com)– When Republicans took control of the Mississippi House last November, who would have thought it would lead to a name change for the Gulf of Mexico?
Well, it could- if Mississippi Democrat Steve Holland gets his way. Holland is a Mississippi State Representative from Plantersville.
Never let it be said politicians are without a sense of humor.
Holland wants to re-name the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, for official purposes within the state.
“We had a tsunami to come through,” Holland told abc24.com, “it’s called Republicans in Mississippi, and they’re introducing in my opinion, a lot of legislation that’s pretty superfluous.”
Holland includes in that category things like drug testing for Medicaid recipients and immigration bills, so he proposed his own superfluous legislation.
“We’ll put in a bill to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Holland said. “It’s the Holland Spam-a-Lot Act of 2012.”
So, very tongue in cheek, right?
“Very tongue in cheek, yeah.” said Holland.
But, it seems many are not getting the joke.
In response to the proposed name change in the Gulf, a political group in Minnesota billing itself as the Cafe Con Leche Republicans has proposed changing the name of the Mississippi River to the Lincoln River.
“I wouldn’t support that of course,” Holland said.
And Mississippi’s residents don’t support Holland’s proposed Gulf change.
One resident of Southaven told abc24.com, “I think he’s crazy.”
But Holland isn’t worried about constituent reaction.
“Brother, let me tell you something,” Holland told abc24.com, “I’ve been here 29 years. I could go gay and do it on the south steps of the Lee County Courthouse and my damn constituents would landslide send my ass back down here.”
And remember, the Gulf of America?? It’s supposed to be a joke.
“I probably wouldn’t support my Gulf of America bill either, if I had a chance to vote on it,” said Holland.
If approved, Mississippi House Bill 150 would go into effect July 1st.
