Predictably, Republicans in Washington, D.C. are apoplectic about the recent Executive Order by President Barack Obama renaming our nation’s highest peak, formerly known as Mt. McKinley to its historic name, Mt. Denali.
A “deeply disappointed” House Speaker John Boehner of Cincinnati tweeted out his opposition Sunday night, after reports that Interior Secretary Sally Jewell had issued an order changing the name at Obama’s behest.
Congress could pass a new law to block Jewell’s order on the renaming of the mountain. But Democrats would almost surely block the move, not to mention the likelihood that Obama would veto any such legislation.
Despite the long odds, many Ohio representatives seemed eager for a legislative fight.
“President McKinley was a proud Ohio Republican who was assassinated during his time in office while serving our nation and deserves the recognition Congress previously awarded him,’’ declared Republican Rep. Mike Turner of Dayton, Ohio, in a prepared statement.
Rep. Bob Gibbs of rural Washington Township, Ohio, blasted the move on Twitter, calling it “constitutional overreach” and said he would be working with lawmakers on the House Natural Resources Committee to see what can be done “to prevent this action.”
Here are my thoughts on Republican outrage over the decision to return Mt. Denali to its traditional name.
Would the Republicans accept changing Mount Cleveland back to it’s native name Chuginadak as a compromise?
I know a lot of outdoors people and none of them ever call the mountain Mt. McKinley. It’s always referred to as Denali. Always.
Actually, the proper name of our nation’s highest point is “Denali”, not “Mt. Denali”.
Point taken.
I lived in Wasilla, Ak. during the 80’s and never heard it referred to as McKinley. Unless, of course it was a tourist from Ohio.